IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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Hiotographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WHSTU.N.Y.  MSin 

(716)  172-4309 


4r 


^v 


CiHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inttltuta  <or  HIatorical  MIcfOMproductlona  /  Inatltut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  hiatortquaa 


% 

'     ^ 

'# 

(i 

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w 

V 

Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Th( 
to 


Tha  Instituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua. 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduotion,  or  which  may  aignificantiy  changa 
tha  uauai  mathod  of  filming,  am  ehackad  balow. 


0 


Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


r^   Covara  damagad/ 


n 

D 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 

D 


D 


Couvartura  andommagte 

Covara  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvarturtt  raatauria  at/ou  palliculAa 

Covar  titia  mia^ing/ 

La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  gAographiquaa  an  coulaur 

Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 

Colourad  pletaa  and/or  illuatratiof«a/ 
Planchaa  at/ou  iliuatrationa  an  coukiur 

Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
Balii  avac  d'autraa  documanta 

Tight  binding  may  cauaa  thadowa  or  diatortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

Larcliura  aarrAa  paut  cauaar  da  i'ombra  ou  da  l« 
diaioralon  lo  long  do  la  margo  intAriauro 

Blank  laavaaaddad  during  raatoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  poaaibla.  thaaa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
11  to  paut  qua  cartainaa  pagaa  blanchaa  aJoutAaa 
lora  d'una  raatauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
maia.  loraqua  cala  itait  poaaibla,  caa  pagaa  n'ont 
paa  «t«  filmAaa. 

Additional  commanta:/ 
Commantairaa  supplimantairaa: 


L'Inatitut  a  microfilmi  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  it4  poaaibla  da  aa  procurer.  Laa  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  aont  paut-Atra  iiniquaa  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modif  iar 
una  imaga  raproduita.  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dana  la  mAthoda  normala  da  fiimaga 
aont  indiquAa  ci-daaaoua. 


r~n  Colourad  pagaa/ 


D 


Pagaa  ^a  coulaur 

Pagaa  damagad/ 
Pagaa  andommagiaa 

Pagaa  raatorad  ond/oi 

Pagaa  raataur^aa  at/ou  palliculAaa 


n^   Pagaa  damagad/ 

r~*1   Pagaa  raatorad  ond/or  laminatad/ 


E   Pagaa  diacolourad.  stainad  or  foxad/ 
Pagaa  dicoioriaa,  tachatiaa  ou  piquAet 

a   Pagaa  datachad/ 
Pagoa  ditachtea 


rr]   Showthrough/ 


Tranaparanctr 

Quality  of  prin 

Qualiti  inigaia  da  I'imprasaion 

incSudao  supplamantary  matarii 
Compiand  du  matiriai  auppl4mantaira 

Only  adition  availabia/ 
Saula  Mition  ditponibia 


r~n   Quality  of  print  variaa/ 

□   inc'udao  supplamantary  material/ 
Con 

I — I   Only  adition  available/ 


Th 
po 
of 
fill 


Or 
be 
th( 
aic 

oti 
fir 
aic 
or 


Th 
ah 

Til 
wl 

m 

dil 
er 
bfl 

rll 
re 


Pagaa  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
isiipa.  tissuaa,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
enaura  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagaa  totaiement  ou  partieliement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  una  pelure, 
etc..  ont  At*  filmiea  A  nouveau  da  fapon  i 
obtanir  'a  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  eat  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  1SX  22X 


26X 


30X 


■■■■•J 

• 

y 

12X 


ItX 


aox 


a4x 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  fflmad  h«r«  has  b—n  raproduccd  thanks 
to  tho  gonorotity  of: 

Saint  John  Ragional  Library 


L'axmnplaini  film*  fut  roprodult  grioo  A  la 
giniroalt*  do: 

Saint  John  Ragional  Library 


The  imagos  appearing  haro  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  eonsidaring  tha  condition  and  legibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  In  keeping  wKh  the 
filming  contract  spaciflicstlons. 


Original  copies  In  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  Illustrated  Impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  Impres* 
sion,  and  ending  on  the  lest  page  with  a  pinntad 
or  illustrated  Impression. 


The  lest  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^-(meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Las  Images  suh^antea  ont  4t*  roprodultee  evec  le 
plus  grand  soln,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  de  i'exemplaire  film*,  et  en 
conformM  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fiimage. 

Lea  exemplalres  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  ImprlmAe  sent  filmte  en  commenpant 
IMr  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soi^  |iar  ia 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreasion  ou  d'illustratlon,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  aalon  le  cas.  Tous  lea  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commen9ent  par  ia 
pramlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impreeslon  ou  d'lllustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAra  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  vymbolss  sulvants  apparattra  sur  l« 
darnlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  teion  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ►  signlfie  "A  SUIVRE".  ie 
symbols  ▼  signifia  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  stc,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  ierge  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lss  cartes,  pSenches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fiimte  k  des  taux  de  rMuction  difftrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seui  clich*.  II  est  film*  A  partir 
da  i'angle  supArisur  gauche,  de  gauche  k  drolte, 
et  de  haut  en  bes,  en  prenant  ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Las  diagrammee  suivsnts 
illustrent  le  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

^Piil'i'WWPIWprT"^:^^!^^ 


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OF  the:  captueb!  of 


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Am  OF 

i^is  ({Ea|)th)tts  and  (trtatment  bg  ti)c  13.  :t8i^ 


^^'W^^l^^M^ 


^^mn'Q'^aiST  iBTsr  sinsassaiLia'o 


*^^'%i'*'V»' 


firru  BbiTiON,  with  norss. 


BURLINGTON: 

0.  OOODIUOB  ai  8.  B.  iriOHOU» 

WICK  WARE  BUILDING. 


1849. 


PRICE  121-2  GENTS. 


p^0ni^s0mm^>^m'iim0mf>mvg3f*tffi^ 


J      ""'■  -'., 


•X'1^1  <i  l»i»»^»WW 


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'tk* 


I    J. 


FREE  PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 
ST.  JOHN,  N.  B. 


><^n^.lb  All 

CLASS     0^5      ^ 

Acc  \7y#*f  ^^^'~--  ■ 

This  bodir  is  not  to  be  kept  out 
longer  than  Fifteen  days. 

K  t|MMii|ii|ii|iitii|ii|n|»|t»t»4ii|ii|<it>iti4m)n.iimn|( 


•iLfi 


^j  ">'>', 


wm.  a 


OP  THE  CAPTURE  OP 


0 


j|t0  €a))ttoitQ  mtb  ^Treatment  b^j  tt)e  BrittBl). 


WRITTEN  B7  HIMSELF. 


FIFTH   EDITION,  WITH    NOTES. 


'   ?^S 


BURLINGTON: 

C.  GOODRICH  &  S.  B.  NICHOLS. 

WICKWARE  BUILDING. 
1849. 


**J-.*«Wl»-»lM*f-« 


"•J'W^S^' 


/••„' : 'J 's^.«»j.-5^'.'', '. ■',  ft,  ■(.-.,., ,^L .I', ■',,iiy.^w.«i, f 


Free  Public  Library, 


ST.  JOHN,  N.  B. 


A  ncesdon 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1838,  by 

CHAUNOEY  GOODRICH, 

in  the  Clerk's  OfBlce  of  the  District  of  Vermont. 


ADVERTISEMENT 
TO   THE  FIFTH    EDITION. 


No  apology  need  be  offered  for  presenting  a  new  Edition  of  the  fol- 
lowing Narrative,  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  the^age  in  which 
he  lived.  It  is  given  in  the  plain  language  of  its  self-educated  author, 
without  any  alteration.  The  Senior  publisher  has  been  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  his  widow,  who  died  about  ten  years  since,  and  has  been 
assured  by  her  that  this  narrative  is  printed  as  he  wrote  it  without  alter- 
ation ;  and;  that  it  shows  more  of  his  true  character,  than  all  else  ever 
written  of  him. 

Little  is  known  of  the  life  of  Col.  A!l6n,  but  what  is  found  in  Bio- 
graphical Dictionaries,  Spark's  American  Biography,  and  his  Memoirs 
written  by  Mr  Moore,  from  whose  introduction  the  following  just  tribute, 
to  his  memory  is  copied : 

"  Perhaps  no  individual,  of  equal  advantages,  and  the  station  he  oc- 
cupied in  life,  contributed  more  towards  establishing  the  independence 
of  our  country,  than  Ethan  Allen,  the  subject  of  this  memoir. ,  The 
mass  of  the  people  among  whom  he  resided,  were  rude  and  uncultiva- 
ted ;  yet  bold  in  spirit  and  zealous  in  action.  It  consequently  followed, 
that  no  one,  save  a  man  of  strong  natural  endowments — of  much  decis- 
ion, energy  and  bravery,  could  control  their  prejudices  and  inclinations. 
Habit  had  rendered  them  familiar  with  danger,  and  impatient  of  re- 
'  straint ;  hencC;  it  foIlowed,that  no  policy ,unle8S  proceeding  from  a  source 
in  which  they  had  confidence,  ever  gained  their  approbation.  Upon  Al- 
len, whose  courage  was  undoubted,  and  whose  zealous  devotion  to  their 
interests  was  universally  acknowledged,  they  implicitly  relied.  They 
had  known  him  in  adversity  and  prosperity — they  had  weighed  him,  and 
found  nothing  lacking.  To  friend  or  foe,  he  was  ever  the  same  unyield- 
ing advocnte  of  the  rights  of  man,  and  universal  liberty.  The  policy, 
therefore  he  upheld,  as  beneficial  to  the  common  cause  of  American  lib- 
erty, ever  found  strong  and  efficient  supporters  in  the  friends  with  whom 
he  associated,  and  by  whom  he  was  known. 

From  the  commencement  of  our  Revolutionary  struggle,  until  its  final 
close,  Ethan  Allen  proved  a  zealous  and  strenuous  supporter  of  the 
cause.  Whether  in  the  field  or  the  council — whether  at  home,  a  free- 
man among  the  mountains  of  Vermont,  or  loaded  with  the  manacles  of 
despotism,  in  a  foreign  country,  his  spirit  never  quailed  beneath  the  sneer 
of  the  tory,  or  the  harsh  threats  of  insolent  authorityr  A  stranger  to 
fear,  his  opinions  were  ever  given  without  disguise  or  hesitation  :  and, 


\ 


^a-*'*»w«|iw«WWPWw* 


wmmmm^m^^mimmfiwmmmmmiiim^lll/^^ 


mim^ 


ADVRRTISEMENT. 


an  enemy  to  oppression,  he  sought  every  opportunity  to  redress  the 
wrongs  of  the  oppressed.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  ho 
was  faultless.  Like  other  men,  he  had  his  errors — like  other  men,  his 
foibles.  Yet  he  was  not  wilfully  stubborn  in  either.  When  convinced 
of  an  erroneous  position,  he  was  ever  willing  to  yield  a  victory  ;  but, 
in  theory,  as  in  practice,  he  contested  every  inch  of  ground  ;  and  only 
yielded  when  he  had  no  weapons  left  to  meet  his  antagonist.  This  trait 
in  his  character  serves,  at  least,  to  prove,  that  he  was  honest  in  his  con- 
clusions, however  erroneous  the  premises  from  which  they  were  deduced. 
Much  error  of  opinion  prevails  among  all  classes  of  individuals,  at  the 
present  period,  in  relation  to  the  character  of  Col.  Allen.  H^is  gene- 
rally viewed  as  a  coarse,  ignorant  man,  void  of  all  the  social  feelings, 
and  arrogant  in  all  his  pretensions.  Even  Mr.  Dwight,  in  his  "  Travels 
in  New  England,"  reports  him  in  this  light ;  and  deems  him  only  wor- 
thy a  brief  and  unjust  notice  in  his  work.  In  what  manner  Mr.  Dwight 
came  in  possession  of  the  facts  upon  which  he  predicated  his  conclusions, 
is  beyond  the  knowledge  of  the  author  of  this  Memoir :  but,  certain  it 
is,  he  has  materially  misrepresented  the  moral  principles,  and  in  fact,  the 
general  character  of  Col.  Allen.  It  is  presumed,  however,  that  Mr. 
Dwight,  like  many  other  travelers,  drew  his  inferences  from  the  gossip 
of  the  people  among  whom  he*nssociated,  without  being  at  the  trouble  of 
extending  his  inquiries  to  a  source  from  whence  he  might  have  derived 
every  material  fact  in  relation  to  the  subject.  In  making  this  suggestion, 
the  author  would  not  be  understood  as  attaching  any  particular  blame  to 
Mr.  Dwioi|T ;  but  m'^rely  as  correcting  an  error  of  opinion  which  is 
quite  too  prevalent  in  cur  country." 

BdrlingtoN;  Vt.  Aug.  Ist,  1848 


(i^l 


ADVERTISEMENT 

TO  THE   WALPOLE    EDITION, 

POBLISHED   IN°  1807. 


In  announcing  the  publication  of  this  little,  simple,  true,  jftnd  unViifii- 
ished  narrative,  the  publishers  have  complied  with  the  wishes  of  a  nmn- 
ber  of  persons,  who  had  a  desire  to  keep  in  remembrance  the  heit>  of 
Ticonderoga,  and  the  exploits  he  performed.  It  isbelieved  thtit  there 
is  not  a  copy  for  sale  in  any  bookstore  in  the  United  States ;  and  the 
style  of  printing,  at  the  time  of  its  first  appearance,  Which  is  now  near 
thirty  years  since,  was  in  &o  unimproved  a  condition,  that  it  has  never 
been  seen  but  in  the  shabby  dress  of  a  large  and  ragged  pamphlet.  The 
events  of  those  "  troublous  times,"  in  which  Col.  Allen  took  a  conspic- 
uous part,  are  rendered  doubly  interesting  from  the  lively,  unadorned 
manner  of  his  own  narration.  The  high  compliments  which  he  pays  to  the 
prowess,  uniform  perseverance  and  reisolution,  manifested  by  the  "  Green 
Mountain  Boys"  of  his  native  State,  Will  no  doubt  be  an  indacement  to 
them,  and  to  his  countrymen  generally,  to  read  and  preserve  this  motiu- 
ment  of  him,  and,  as  they  con  the  pages  of  this  <<  little  book"  which  he 
has  "  left  them,"  to  imitate  the  coolness  and  courage  of  the  deceased 
veteran. 

The  sufferings  and  cruelties  borne  by  him  and  bis  fellow  soldiers,  fre- 
quently draw  from  him  in  the  course  of  his  narrative,  a  language  the 
most  severe,  with  respect  to  a  country  from  whom  we  originated.  With 
whom  we  are  now  at  peace,  and  with  whom  it  is  our  policy  to  continue 
on  a  friendly  fooling  ;  but  the  candid  and  the  feeling  mind  should  make 
great  allowance  for  the  unparalled  situation  of  our  afiairs,  for  the  suffer- 
ings of  his  handful  of  little  "  Spartans,"  for  whom  he  felt  a  father'cl  and 
a  brother's  affection.  These  circumstances  must  have  given  a  deep  col- 
oring to  the  pencil  which  was  portraying  his  own  and  his  country's 
wrongs.  On  the  whole,  we  think  this  little  tract  may  be  re-perufled, 
with  advantage  and  pleasure,  by  the  aged,  and  read  with  much  edifica- 
iton  and  entertainment  by  the  young.  As  it  is  deenrved  that  the  Very 
words,  in  every  respect  made  use  of  by  the  Colonel,  would  be  more  ac- 
ceptable to  the  reader,  than  any  artificial  decoratior^  of  style,  we  shall 
invariably  adhere  to  the  ori/?!"^"!. 


INTRODUCTION. 


Induced  by  a  sense  of  duty  to  .ny  country,  and  by  the  application  of 
many  of  my  worthy  friends,  some  of  whom  are  of  the  first  characters,  I 
have  concluded  to  publish  the  following  narrative  of  the  extrnordinary 
scenes  of  wy  captivity,  and  the  discoveries  which  I  made  in  the  course 
of  the  same,  of  the  cruel  and  relentless  disposition  and  the  behaviour  of 
the  enemy,  towards  the  prisoners  in  their  power  ;  from  which  the  state 
politioian,  and  tvery  gradation  of  character  among  the  people,  to  the 
worthy  tiller  of  the  soil,  may  deduce  such  inferences  as  they  shall  think 
proper  to  carry  into  practice.  Some  men  are  appointed  into  office,  in 
these  States,  who  read  the  history  of  the  cruelties  of  this  war,  with  the 
same  careless  indifference,  as  they  do  the  pages  of  the  Roman  history ; 
nay,  some  are  preferred  to  places  of  trust  and  profit  by  the  tory  influ- 
ence. The  instances  are  (I  hope)  but  rare,  and  it  stands  all  freemen  in 
hand  to  prevent  their  further  influence,  which,  of  all  other  things,  would 
be  the  most  baneful  to  the  liberties  and  happiness  of  this  country  ;  and, 
80  far  as  such  influence  takes  place,  robs  us  of  the  victory  we  have  ob- 
tained at  the  expense  of  so  much  blood  and  treasure. 

I  should  have  exhibited  to  the  public  a  history  of  the  fact.)  herein 
contained,  soon  after  my  exchangee,  had  not  the  urgency  of  my  private 
affairs,  tc^ether  with  more  urgent  public  business,  demanded  my  atten- 
tion, till  a  few  weeks  before  the  date  hereof.  The  reader  will  readily  dis- 
cern, that  a  Narrative  of  this  sort  could  not  have  been  written  when  I 
was  a  prisoner.  My  trunk  and  writings  were  often  searched  under  va- 
rious pretences  ;  so  that  I  never  wrote  a  syllable,  or  made  even  a  rough 
minute  whereon  I  might  predicate  this  narration,  but  trusted  solely  to 
my  memory  for  the  whole.  I  have,  however,  taken  the  greatest  care  and 
pains  to  recollect  the  facts  and  arrange  them ;  but  as  they  touch  a  variety  of 
characters  and  opposite  interests,  I  am  sensible  that  all  will  not  be  pleased 
with  the  relation  of  them.  Be  this  as  it  will,  I  have  made  truth  my  invaria- 
ble guide,  and  stake  my  honor  on  the  truth  of  the  facts.  I  have  been  very, 
generous  with  the  British  in  giving  them  full  and  ample  credit  for  all 
their  good  usage,  of  any  considerable  consequence,  which  I  met  with 
among  them,  during  my  captivity  ;  which  was  easily  done,  as  I  met 
with  but  little,  in  comparison  of  the  bad,  which,  by  reason  of  the  great 
plurality  of  it,  could  not  be  contained  in  so  concise  a  narrative ;  so  that 
I  am  certain  that  I  have  more  fully  enumerated  the  favors  which  I  re- 
ceived, than  the  abuses  I  suftered.  The  critic  will  be  pleased  to  excuse 
any  inaccuracies  in  the  performance  itself,  as  the  author  has  unfortunate- 
ly missed  of  a  liberal  education. 

„  „     .  ETHAN  ALLEN. 

Bennington,  March  25,  I'TD. 


NAERATIVE. 


£vER  gince  t  arrived  at  the  state  of  manhood,  and  acquainted  myself 
with  the  general  history  of  mankind,  I  have  felt  a  sincere  passion  for 
liberty.  The  history  of  nations,  doomed  to  perpetual  slavery,  in  conse- 
quence of  yielding  up  to  tyrants  their  uaiural-born  liberties,  I  read  with 
a  sort  of  philosophical  horror ;  so  that  the  first  systematical  and  bloody 
attempt  at  Lexington,  to  enslave  America,  thoroughly  electrified  my 
mind,  and  fully  determined  me  to  take  part  with  my  country.  And, 
while  I  was  wishing  for  an  opportunity  to  signalize  myself  in  its  behalf, 
directions  were  privately  sent  to  me  from  the  then  colony,  (now  state)  of 
Connecticut,  to  raise  the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  and,  if  possible,  to  sur- 
prise and  take  the  fortress  of  Ticonderoga.  This  enterprise  I  cheerfully 
undertook  ;  and,  after  first  guarding  all  the  several  passes  that  led  thither, 
to  cut  off  all  intelligence  between  the  garrison  and  the  country,  made  a 
forced  march  from  Bennington,  and  arrived  at  the  lake  opposite  to  Ti- 
conderoga,* on  the  evening  of  the  ninth  day  of  May,  1775,  with  two 
hundred  and  thirty  valiant  Green  Mountain  Boys  ;  and  it  was  with  the 
utmost  difficulty  that  I  procured  boats  to  cross  the  lake.  However,  I 
landed  eighty -three  men  near  the  garrison,  and  sent  the  boats  back  for 
the  rear  guard,  commanded  by  Col.  Selh  Warner,  but  the  day  began  to 
dawn,  and  I  found  myself  under  a  necessity  to  attack  the  fort,  before 

*The  •  Ticonderoga  Fort'  is  thus  described  in  the  American  Encyclopedia: — 
Ticonderoga  ;  a  posl-tovvn  of  Essex  county,  New  York,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
south  end  of  Lake  Champlain,  and  at  the  north  end  of  lake  George ;  twelve  miles 
south  of  Crown  Point,  ninety-five  north  of  Albany ;  population  in  1820,  1493.  There 
is  a  valuable  iron  mine  in  this  township. — Ticonderoga  Fort,  famous  in  the  history  of 
the  American  wars,  ia  situated  on  an  eminence,  on  the  west  side  of  lake  Champlain, 
just  north  of  the  entrance  of  the  outlet  from  lake  George  into  lake  Chahaplain,  fifteen 
miles  south  of  Crown  Point,  twenty-four  north  of  Whitehall ;  Ion.  73  deg.  27.'  W.;  lat. 
43  deg.  30!.  N.  It  is  now  in  ruins.  Considerable  remains  of  the  fortifications  are 
still  to  bo  seen.  The  stone  walls  of  the  fort,  which  are  now  standing,  are  in  some 
places,  thirty  feet  high.  Mount  Defiance  lies  about  a  mile  south  of  the  fori,  and  Mount 
Independence  is  about  half  a  mile  distant,  on  the  opposite  sida  of  the  lake,  in  Orwell, 
Vermont. 

It  was  built  by  the  French,  in  the  year  1756.  and  had  all  the  advantages  that  art 
and  nature  could  give  it ;  being  defended  on  three  sides  by  writer,  surrounded  by  rocks, 
and  where  that  fails,  the  French  erected  a  breastwork  nine  feet  high.  The  English 
and  Colonial  troops,  under  General  Abercrorabie  were  defeated  here  in  the  year  1758, 
but  it  was  taken  in  the  year  following  by  General  Amherst.  It  was  surprised  by  Col- 
onels Allen  and  Arnold,  May  10,  1775.  Was  retaken  by  General  Burgoyne  in  July, 
J 777,  aud  was  evacuated  after  his  surrende.,  the  garrison  returning  to  St.  Johns. 


^.. 


8 


MBktt  Allen's 


the  rear  could  cross  the  lake ;  and,  as  it  was  viewed  hazardous,  1  har- 
rangued  the  officers  and  sol  rers  in  the  manner  following  : 

*'  Friends  aud  fallow  soldiers,  You  have,  for  a  number  of  years  past 
been  a  scourge  and  terror  to  arbitrary  power.  Your  valor  has  been 
famed  abroad,  und  acknowledged,  as  appears  by  the  advice  and  orders 
to  me,  from  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut,  to  surprise  and  take 
the  garrision  now  before  us.  I  now  propose  to  advance  before  you,  and 
in  person,  conduct  you  through  the  wicket-gate ;  for  we  must  this  morning 
either  quit  our  pretensions  to  valor,  or  possess  ourselves  of  this  fortress  in 
a  few  minutes ;  and,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  desperate  attempt,  which  none 
but  the  bravest  of  men  dare  undertake,  I  do  not  urge  it  on  any  contrary 
to  his  will.     You  that  will  undertake  voluntarily,  poise  your  firelocks." 

The  men  being,  at  this  time,  drawn  up  in  three  ranks,  each  poised 
his  firelock.  I  ordered  them  to  face  to  the  right,  and  at  the  head  of  the 
centre-file,  marched  them  immediately  to  the  wicket-gate  aforesaid, 
where  I  found  a  sentry  posted,  who  instantly  snapped  his  fusee  at  me ;  I 
ran  immediately  towards  him,  and  he  retreated  through  the  covered  way 
into  the  parade  within  the  garrison,  gave  a  halloo,  and  ran  under  a  bomb- 
proof. My  party,  who  followed  me  into  the  fort,  I  formed  on  the  pa- 
rade in  such  a  manner  as  to  face  the  two  barracks  which  faced  each 
other. 

The  garrison  being  asleep,  except  the  sentries,  we  gave  three  huzzas 
which  greatly  surprised  them.  One  of  the  sentries  made  a  pass  at  one 
of  nnr  officers  with  a  charged  bayonet,  and  slightly  wounded  him  :  My 
first  thought  was  to  kill  him  with  my  sword  ;  but  in  an  instant,  I  altered 
the  design  and  fury  of  the  blow  to  a  slight  cut  on  the  side  of  the  head  ; 
upon  which  he  dropped  his  gun,  and  asked  quarter,  which  I  readily  grant- 
ed him,  and  demanded  of  him  the  place  where  the  commanding  officer 
kept;  he  shewed  me  a  pair  of  stairs  in  the  front  of  a  barrack,  on  the 
west  part  of  the  garrison,  which  led  up  a  second  story  in  said  barrack, 
to  which  I  immediately  repaired,  and  ordered  the  commander,  Capt.  De 
La  Place,  to  come  forth  instantly,  or  I  would  sacrifice  the  whole  garrison  ; 
at  which  the  Capt,  came  immediately  to  the  door  with  his  breeches  in  his 
hand ;  when  I  ordered  him  to  deliver  me  the  fort  instantly  ;  he  asked  me 
by  what  authority  I  demanded  it;  I  answered  him  "  In  the  name  of  the 
great  Jehovah,  and  the  Continental  Congress."*  The  authority  of 
the  Congress  being  very  little  known  at  that  time,  he  began  to  speak 
again  y  but  I  interrupted  him,  and  with  my  drawn  sword  over  his  head, 
again  demanded  an  immediate  surrender  of  the  garrison  ;  with  which  he 
then  complied,  and  ordered  his  men  to  be  forthwith  paraded  without 
arms,  as  he  had  given  up  the  garrison.  In  the  moan  time  some  of  my 
officers  had  given  orders,  and  in  consequence  thereof,  sundry  of  the 
barrack  doors  were  beat  down,  and  about  one  third  of  the  garrison  im- 
prisoned, which  consisted  of  the  said  commander,  a  Lieut.  Feltham,  a 
conductor  of  artillery,  a  gunner,  two  sergeants,  and  forty-four  rank  and 

*If  the  Colonel  has  expressed  a  little  of  his  usual  severity  in  t'  Is  place,  he  roigh^ 
have  remarked  also,  that  neitlier  of  the  authorities  he  mentioned  w,iP  i.uch  known  in 
a  British  camp. 


past 


and 


KARRATIVE.  0 

file ;  about  one  hundred  pieces  of  cannon,  one  thirteen  inch  mortar,  and 
a  number  of  swivels.  This  Surprise  wns  carried  into  execution  in  the 
grey  of  the  morning  of  the  tenth  day  of  May,  1775.  The  sun  seemed 
to  rise  that  morning  with  a  superior  lustre ;  and  Ticonderoga  and  its 
dependencies  smiled  on  its  conquerors,  who  tossed  about  the  flowing 
bowl,  and  wished  success  to  Congress,  and  the  liberty  and  freedom  of 
America.  Happy  it  was  for  me,  at  that  time,  that  the  then  future  pages 
of  the  book  of  fate,  which  afterwards  unfolded  a  miserable  scene  of  two 
years  and  eight  months  imprisonment,  were  hid  from  my  viewi 

But  to  return  to  my  narration  :  Col.  Warner,  with  the  rear  guar^j 
crossed  the  lake,  and  joined  me  early  in  the  morning,  whom  I  sent  off, 
without  loss  of  time,  with  about  one  hundred  men,  to  take  possession  of 
Crown  Point,  which  Was  garrisoned  with  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men } 
which  he  took  possession  of  the  same  day,  as  also  upwards  of  one  hun< 
dred  pieces  of  cannon.  But  one  thing  now  remained  to  be  done,  to 
make  ourselves  complete  masters  of  lake  Champlain  ;  this  was  to  i^ossess 
ourselves  of  a  sloop  of  war,  which  was  then  lying  at  St.  Johns;  to  effect 
'Which,  it  was  agreed  in  a  council  of  war,  to  arm  and  man  out  a  certain 
schooiler,  which  layat  South  Bay,  and  thatCapt.  (now  general)  Arnold* 
should  command  her,  and  that  I  should  command. the  batteaux.  The 
necessary  preparations  being  made,  we  set  sail  from  Ticonderoga,  in 
quest  of  the  sloop,  which  was  much  larger,  and  carried  more  guns  and 
heavier  metal  than  the  schooner.  General  Arnold,  with  the  schooner, 
sailing  faster  than  the  batteaux,  arrived  at  St.  Johns  ;  and  by  surprise 
possessed  himself  of  the  sloop,  before  I  could  arrive  with  the  batteaux : 

*  This  name,  which  now  calls  to  mind  the  idea  of  treason,^  at  every  mention  of 
it,  is  "  damned  to  everlasting  fame."  His  early  history,  wfth  his  conduct  durias 
the  revolution,  is  probably  familiar  to  every  school  boy.  His  subsequent  life  is 
thus  described  by  Dn  Allen,  in  his  American  Biographical  Dictionary. 

"  r'rom  the  conclusion  of  the  war  to  his  death,  Gen.  Arnold  resided  chiefly  in  Eng- 
land. In  1786  he  was  at  St.  Johns,  New  Brunswick,  en^mged  in  trade  and  nfiviga- 
tion,  and  again  in  1790.  For  some  cause  he  became  very  unpopular;  in  17r2  or 
1793,  was  hung  in  effigy,  and  the  mayor  found  it  necessary  to  read  the  r-jftict,  and 
a  company  of  troops  was  called  jut  to  quell  the  mob.  itcpairing  to  the  West 
Indies  in  1794,  a  French  fleet  anchored  at  the  s-xme  island ;  he  became  alarmed 
least  he  should  be  detained  by  Ihe  American  Allies,  and  passed  the  fleet  concealed 
on  a  rail;  of  lumber.  He  died  in  Gloucester  place,  London,  June  14,  1801.  He 
married  Margaret,  the  daughter  of  Edward  Sbippen  of  Philadelphia,  chief  justice, 
and  a  loyalist.  General  Greene,  it  is  said,  was  his  rival.  She  combined  fascina- 
ting manners  with  sfrnnglh  of  mind.  She  died  at  London.  August  24,  1304,  aged 
43.  His  sous  were  men  of  property  in  (,'anada  in  1829. — His  character  presents  lit- 
tle to  be  commanded.  His  daring  courage  may  indeed  excite  admiration  ;  but  it 
was  a  courage  without  reflection  and  without  principle.  He  fought  bravely  for  hia 
country  and  he  bled  in  her  c  tuse  ;  but  his  country  owed  him  no  returns  of  gratitude, 
for  his  subsequent  conduct  proved,  that  he  had  no  honest  regard  to  her  interests, 
but  was  governed  by  selfish  considerations.  His  progress  from  self-indulgence 
to  treason  was  easy  and  rapid.  He  was  vain  and  luxurious,  and  to  grati  fy  his  gid- 
dy  desires  ho  must  resort  I.)  meanness,  dishonesty,  and  extortion.  These  vices 
brought  with  them  disgrace ;  and  the  contempt,  into  which  he  fell,  awakened  a  spir- 
it of  revenge,  and  left  him  to  the  unrestrained  influence  of  his  cupidity  and  passion. 
Thus  from  the  high  ftime,  to  which  his  bravery  had  elevated  him,  he  descended 
into  infamy  Thus  too  he  furnished  new  eyidenc  of  the  infatuation  of  the  human 
mind  in  attaching  such  value  to  the  reputation  t  a  soldier,  which  may  be  obtained, 
while  the  heart  L  unsound  and  every  moral  sentiment  is  entirely  depraved." 


-SL 


10 


■THAN  ALLEM  « 


He  also  iteade  prisoners  of  a  sergeant  and  twelve  men,  who  were  garri' 
aoned  at  that  place.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  that  as  soon  as  General  Ar- 
nold hud  secured  the  prisoners  on  board,  and  had  made  preparations  for 
sailiog,  the  wind,  which  but.a  few  hours  before  was  fresh  in  the  south, 
and  well  served  to  carry  us  to  St.  Johns,  now  shifted,  and  came  fresh 
from  the  north ;  and  in  about  one  hour's  time,  General  Arnold  sailed 
with  the  prize  and  schooner  for  Ticonderoga.  When  I  met  him  with 
my  party,  within  a  few  miles  of  St.  Johns,  he  saluted  me  with  a  discharge 
of  cannon,  which  I  returned  with  a  volley  of  small  arms.  This  being 
repeated  three  times,  I  went  on  board  the  sloop  with  my  party,  where 
several  loyal  Congress  healths  were  drank. 

We  were  now  masters  of  lake  Champlain,  and  the  garrison  depending 
thereon.  This  success  I  viewed  of  consequence  in  the  scale  of  Ameri- 
can politics ;  for,  if  a  settlement  between  the  then  colonies  and  Great 
Britain,  had  soon  taken  place,  it  would  have  been  easy  to  have  restored 
these  acquisitions ;  but  viewing  the  t>  an  future  consequences  of  a  cruel 
war,  as  it  has  really  proved  to  be,  and  the  command  of  that  lake,  garrisons, 
artillery^&c,  it  must  be  viewed  to  be  of  signal  importance  to  the  American 
cause,  and  it  is  marvellous  to  me  that  we  ever  lost  the  command  of  it. 
Nothing  but  taking  a  Burgoyne  with  a  whole  British  army,  could,  in  my 
opinion,  atone  for  it ;  and  notwithstanding  such  an  extraordinary  victory, 
we  must  be  obliged  to  regain  the  command  of  that  lake  again,  be  the  cost 
what  it  will ;  by  domg  this  Canada  will  easily  be  brought  into  union 
and  confederacy  with  the  United  States  of  America.  Such  an  event 
wobld  put  it  out  of  the  power  of  the  western  tribes  of  Indians  to  carry  on 
a  war  with  us,  and  be  a  solid  and  durable  bar  against  any  further  inhu- 
man barbarities  coomiitted  on  our  frontier  inhabitants,  by  cruel  and  blood- 
thirsty savages ;  for  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  carry  on  a  war,  except 
they  are  supported  by  the  trade  and  commerce  of  some  civilized  nation  ; 
which  to  them  would  be  impracticable,  did  Canada  compose  a  part  of 
the  American  empire. 

Early  in  the  fall  of  the  year,  the  little  army  under  the  command  of 
'tjlenerals  Schuyler  and  Montgomery,  were  ordered  to  advance  into  Can- 
ada. I  was  at  Ticonderoga  when  this  order  arrived  ;  and  the  Generals, 
with  most  of  the  field  officers,  requested  me  to  attend  them  in  the  expe- 
dition ;  and,  though  at  that  time  I  had  no  commission  from  Congress, 
yet  they  engaged  me,  that  I  should  be  considered  as  an  officer,  the  same  as 
though  I  had  a  commission  ;  and  should,  as  occasion  might  require,  com- 
mand certain  detachments  of  the  army.  This  I  considered  as  an  honor- 
able offer,  and  did  not  hesitate  to  comply  with  it,  and  advanced  with  the 
army  to  Isle-aux-Noix  ;*  from  whence  I  was  ordered  by  the  General,  to 
go  in  company  with  Major  Brown,  and  certain  interpreters,  through  the 
woods  into  Canada,  with  letters  to  the  Canadians,  and  to  let  them  know 
that  the  design  of  the  army  was  only  against  the  English  garrisons,  and 
not  the  country,  their  liberties  or  religion ;  and  having,  through  much 

•A  small  island  containing  about  85  acres,  ten  miles  north  of  the  boundary  linea 
of  the  States  of  New  York  and  Vermont.  It  is  stronglv  fortified,  and  completely 
commands  the  wotcr  commuuication  from  lake  Cliaraplain.  Hero  ♦he  British  had 
a  Biaall  garrisoo. 


;# 


were  garrp 
jreneral  Ar- 
arations  for 
the  south, 
came  fresh 
nold  sailed 
him  with 
•  discharge 
'his  being 
rty,  where 

'spending 
►f  Ameri- 
nd Great 
restored 
f  a  cruel 
farrisons, 
American 
id  of  if. 

i,  in  my 
victory, 
the  cost 
>  union 
n  event 
:arry  on 
>r  inhu- 
I  blood* 
except 
iation  ; 
part  of 

nnd  of 
>Can- 
fierals, 
expe- 
gress, 
me  as 
com- 
onor- 
h  the 
al,  to 
I  the 
:now 
and 
luch 


NiARATITB. 


u 


danger,  negotiated  this  business,  £  returned  to  the  Isle-auz-Noix  in  the 
lore  part  of  September,  when  Gen.  Schuyler  returned  to  Albany ;  and 
in  consequence  the  command  devolved  upon  Gen.  Montgomery,  whom 
I  assisted  in  laying  a  line  of  circumvallation  round  the  fortress  of  St. 
Johns.*  After  which  I  was  ordered  by  the  General,  to  make  a  second 
tour  into  Canada,  upon  nearly  the  same  design  as  before ;  and  withal  to 
observe  the  disposition,  designs  and  movements  of  the  inhabitants  of  th<^ 
country.  This  reconnoiter  I  undertook  reluctantly,  choosing  rather  to 
assist  at  the  seige  of  St.  Johns,  which  was  then  closely  invested  ;  but 
my  esteem  for  the  general's  person,  and  opinion  of  him  as  a  politician 
and  brave  officer,  induced  me  to  proceed. 

I  passed  through  all  the  parishes  on  the  river  Sorel,f  to  a  parish  at  the 
mouth  of  the  same,  which  i?  called  by  the  same  name,  preaching  poli- 
tics ;  and  went  from  thence  across  the  Sorel  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and 
up  the  river  through  the  parishes  to  Longueil,  and  so  far  met  with  good 
success  as  an  itinerant.  In  this  rour  i  my  guard  were  Canadians,  my  in- 
terpreter, and  soue  few  attendants  excepted  On  the  morning  of  the 
24th  day  of  September  I  set  out  with  my  guard  of  about  eighty  men, 
from  Longueil,  to  go  to  I<aprairie  ;|  from  whence  I  determined  to  go  to 
General  Montgomery's  camp ;  but  had  not  advanced  two  miles  before  I 
met  with  Major  Brown,  who  has  since  been  advanced  to  the  rank  of  a 
Colonel,  who  desired  me  to  halt,  saying  that  he  had  something  of  impor- 
tance to  communicate  to  me  and  my  confidants  ;  upon  which  I  halted 
the  party,  and  went  into  a  house,  and  took  a  private  room  with  him  and 
several  of  my  associates,  where  Col.  Brown  proposed  that,  "  provided  I 
would  return  to  Longueil,  and  procure  some  canoes,  so  as  to  cross  the 
river  St.  Lawrence  a  little  north  of  Montreal,  he  would  cross  it  a  little 
to  the  south  of  the  town,  with  near  two  hundred  men,  as  he  had  boats 
sufficient ;  and  that  we  could  make  ourselves  masters  of  Montreal." 
This  plan  was  readly  approved  by  me  and  those  in  council ;  and  incon- 
sequence of  which  I  returned  to  Longueil,  collected  a  few  canoes,  and 
added  about  thirty  English-Americans  to  my  party,  and  crossed  the  riv- 
er in  the  night  of  the  24tb,  agreeably  to  the  proposed  plan. 

My  whole  parly  at  this  time,  consisted  of  about  one  hundred  and  ten 
men,  near  eighty  of  whom  were  Canadians.  Ws  were  most  of  the  night 
crossing  the  river,  as  we  had  so  few  canoes  that  they  had  to  pass  and  re- 
pass three  times,  to  carry  my  party  across.  Soon  after  day-break,  I  set 
a  guard  between  me  and  the  town,  with  special  orders  to  let  no  person 
whatever  pass  or  repass  them,  another  guard  on  the  other  end  of  the 
road,  with  like  directions;  in  the  meantime,  I  reconnoitered  the  best 

*  St..  Johns  is  a  thriving  village,  in  the  County  of  Chambly,  situated  at  the  north 
end  of  lake  Oharaplainj.  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Sorel  river,  twenty-eight  mileo 
southward  of  Montreal.  It  is  the  port  of  entry  and  clearance,  between  the  United 
States  and  Canada.    It  is  now  connected  with  the  St.  Lawrence  river  by  a  rail-road. 

t  Sorel  or  Richelieu  River,  the  outlet  of  lake  Champlain,  which  after  a  course  of 
about  69  miles  north,  empties  into  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  north  lat.  46  deff.  10  min., 
and  long.  72  deg.  25  min.  west.  Sorel  fort,  built  by  the  French,  is  at  the  western 
joint  of  the  mouth  of  this  river.  . 

X  Laprairie,  a  populous  little  v\\\a<re,  on  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  m  Canada,  eight- 
een nules  north  of  St.  Johns,  and  nine  south-west  of  Montreal. 


13 


ETHAN  ALLEN  S 


ground  to  make  a  defence,  expecting  Col.  Brown's  party  was  landed  on 
the  other  side  of  the  town,  he  having,  the  day  before,  agreed  to  give 
three  loud  huzzas  with  his  men  early  in  the  morning,  which  signal  I  was 
to  return,  that  we  might  each  know  thai  both  parties  were  landed  ;  but 
the  sun,  by  this  time,  being  nearly  two  hours  high,  and  the  sign  failing, 
I  began  to  conclude  myself  to  be  in  preniunire,  and  would  have  cross- 
ed the  river  back  again,  but  I  knew  the  enemy  would  have  discovered 
such  an  attempt ;  and  as  there  could  not  more  than  one-third  part  of  n;y 
troops  cross  at  one  time,  the  other  two-thirds  would  of  course  fall  into 
their  hands.  This  I  could  not  reconcile  to  my  own  feelings  as  a  man, 
much  less  as  an  officer:  I  therefore  concluded  to  maintain  the  ground  if 
possible,  and  all  to  fare  alike.  In  consequence  of  this  resolution,  I  de- 
spatched two  messengers,  one  to  Laprairie,  to  Col.  Brown,  and  the  oth- 
er to  I'Assomption,  a  French  settlement,  to  Mr.  Walker,  who  was  in  our 
interest,  requesting  their  speedy  assistance,  giving  them,  at  the  same 
time  to  understand  my  critical  situation.  In  the  mean  time,  sundry  per- 
sons came  to  my  guards,  pretending  to  be  friends,  but  were  by  them  ta- 
ken prisoners  and  brought  to  me.  These  I  ordered  to  confinement,  un- 
til their  friendship  could  be  further  confirmed  ;  for  I  was  jealous  they 
were  spies,  as  they  proved  to  be  afterwards.  One  of  the  principal  of 
them  making  his  escape,  exposed  the  weakness  of  my  party,  which  was 
the  final  cause  of  my  misfortune ;  for  I  have  been  since  informed  that 
Mr.  Walker,  agreeably  to  my  desire,  exerted  himself,  and  had  raised  a 
considerable  number  of  men  for  my  assistance,  which  brought  him  into 
difficulty  afterwards,  but  upon  hearing  of  my  misfortune,  he  disbanded 
them  again. 

The  town  of  Montreal  was  in  a  great  tumult.  General  Carleton  and 
the  royal  party,  made  every  preparation  to  go  on  board  their  vessels  of 
force,  as  I  was  afterwards  informed,  but  the  spy  escaped  from  my  guard 
to  the  town,  occasioned  an  alteration  in  their  policy,  and  emboldened 
Gen.  Carleton  to  send  the  force  which  he  had  there  collected,  out  against 
me.  I  had  previously  chosen  my  ground,  but  when  I  saw  the  number  of 
the  enemy  as  they  sallied  out  of  the  town,  I  percived  that  it  would  be  a 
day  of  trouble  if  not  of  rebuke  ;  but  I  had  no  chance  to  flee,  as  Montreal 
vvas  situated  on  an  island,  and  the  St.  Lawrence  cut  off  my  communica- 
tion to  Gen.  Mongomery's  camp.  I  encouraged  my  soldiery  to  bravely 
defend  themselves,  that  we  should  soon  have  help,  and  that  we  should 
be  able  to  keep  the  ground,  if  no  more.  This,  and  much  more  I  affirm- 
ed with  the  greatest  seeming  assurance,  and  which  in  reality  I  thought 
to  be  in  some  degree  probable. 

The  enemy  consisted  of  not  more  than  forty  regular  troops,  together 
with  a  mixed  multitude,  chiefly  Canadians,  with  a  number  of  English  who 
lived  in  town,  and  some  Indians ;  in  all  to  the  number  of  near  five  hun- 
dred. 

The  reader  will  notice  that  most  of  my  party  were  Canadians ;  indeed 
It  was  a  motley  parcel  which  composed  both  parties.  However,  the  ene- 
niy  began  the  attack  from  wood-piles,  ditches,  buildings,  and  such  like 
places,  at  a  considerable  distance,  and  I  returned  the  fire  from  a  situa- 
tion more  than  equally  advantageous.    The  attack  began  between  two 


NARRATIVE. 


18 


and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  just  before  which  I  ordered  &  volun- 
teer by  the  name  of  Richard  Young,  with  a  detachment  of  nine  men  as 
a  flank  guard,  which,  under  the  cover  of  the  bank  of  the  river,  could  not 
only  annoy  the  enemy,  but  at  the  same  time,  serve  as  a  flank  guard  to 
the  left  of  the  main  body. 

Tho  fire  continued  for  some  time  on  both  sides ;  and  I  was  confident 
that  such  a  remote  method  of  attack  could  not  carry  the  ground,  provi- 
ded it  should  be  continued  till  night ;  but  near  half  the  body  of  the  en- 
emy began  to  flank  round  to  my  right ;  upon  which  I  ordered  a  volun- 
teer, by  the  name  of  John  Dugan,  who  had  lived  many  years  in  Canada, 
and  understood  the  French  language,  to  detach  about  fifty  of  the  Cana- 
dians, and  post  himself  at  an  advantageous  ditch,  which  was  on  my  right, 
to  prevent  my  l?eing  surrrounded  :  He  advanced  with  the  detachment, 
but  instead  of  occupying  the  post,  made  his  escape,  as  did  likewise  Mr. 
Young  upon  the  left,  with  their  detachments.  I  soon  perceived  that  the 
enemy  was  in  the  possession  of  the  ground,  whicb  Dugan  should  have 
occupied.  At  this  time  I  had  but  about  forty'five  men  with  me ;  some  of 
whom  were  wounded  ;  the  enemy  kept  closing  round  me,  nor  was  it  in  my 
power  to  prevent  it ;  by  which  means,  my  situation,  which  was  advanta- 
geous in  the  first  part  of  the  attack,  ceased  to  be  so  in  the  last ;  and  be- 
ing almost  entirely  surrounded  with  such  vast  unequal  numbers,  I  order- 
ed a  retreat,  but  found  that  those  of  the  enemy,  who  were  of  the  coun- 
try, and  their  Indians,  could  run  as  fast  as  my  men,  though  the  regulars 
could  not.  Thus  I  retreated  near  a  mile,  and  some  of  the  enemy,  with 
the  savages,  kept  flanking  me,  and  others  crowded  hard  in  the  rear.  In 
fine,  I  expected,  in  a  very  short  time  to  try  the  world  of  spirits ;  for  I 
was  apprehensive  that  no  quarter  would  be  given  me,  and  therefore  had 
determined  to  sell  my  life  as  dear  as  I  could.  One  of  the  enemy's  offi- 
cers, boldly  pressing  in  the  rear,  discharged  his  fusee  at  me ;  the  ball 
whistled  near  me,  as  did  many  others  that  day.  I  returned  the  salute, 
and  missed  him,  as  running  had  put  us  both  out  of  breath  :  for  I  conclude 
we  were  not  frightened :  I  then  saluted  him  with  my  tongue  in  a  harsh 
manner,  and  told  him  that,  inasmuch  as  his  numbers  were  far  superior 
to  mine,  I  would  surrender  provided  I  could  be  treated  with  honor,  and 
be  assured  of  good  quarters  for  myself  and  the  men  who  were  with  me ; 
and  he  answered  I  should  ;  another  oflicer,  coming  up  directly  after,  con- 
firmed the  treaty :  upon  which  I  agreed  to  surrender  with  my  party, 
which  then  cousiuted  of  thirty<one  eflective  men,  and  seven  wounded. 
I  ordered  them  to  ground  their  arms,  which  they  did. 

The  oflicer  I  capitulated  with,  then  directed  me  and  my  party  to  ad- 
vance toward''  him,  which  was  done  ;  I  handed  him  my  sword,  and  in 
halt  a  minute  after,  a  savage,  part  of  whose  head  was  shaved,  being  al- 
most naked  and  painted,  with  feathers  intermixed  with  the  hair  of  the 
other  side  of  his  head,  came  running  to  me  with  an  incredible  swiftness  ; 
he  seemed  to  advance  with  more  than  mortal  speed  ;  as  he  approached 
near  me,  his  hellish  visage  was  beyond  all  description  ;  snake's  eyes  ap- 
pear innocent  in  comparison  of  his  ;  his  features  extorted  ',*  malice,  death, 

*  Probably  meant  to  be  distorted ;  though,  from  the  description  it  would  appear 
ihut  his  visage  had  been  extorted  from  some  "  Oorgon  or  chimera  dirt." 


''       If 


14 


ETHAN    ALLEN  3 


t 


murder,  and  the  wrath  of  devils  and  damned  spirits  are  the  emblems  of 
his  countenance ;  and  in  less  than  twelve  feet  of  me,  presenting  his  fire- 
lock ;  at  the  instant  of  his  present,  I  twitched  the  officer,  to  whom  I  gave 
my  sword,  between  me  and  the  savage  ;  but  he  flew  round  with  great 
fury,  trying  to  single  me  out  to  shoot  me  without  killing  the  officer ;  but 
by  this  time  I  was  nearly  as  nimble  as  he,  keeping  the  officer  in  such  a 
position  that  his  danger  was  my  defence  ;  but  in  less  than  half  a  minute, 
I  was  attacked  by  just  such  another  imp  of  hell :  Then  I  made  the  offi- 
cer fly  around  with  incredible  velocity,  for  a  few  seconds  of  time,  when 
I  perceived  a  Canadian,  who  had  lost  one  eye,  as  appeared  afterwards, 
taking  my  part  against  the  savDges ;  and  in  an  instant  an  Irishman  came 
to  my  assistance,  and  drove  away  the  fiends,  swearing  by  Jusus  he  would 
kill  them.  This  tragic  scene  composed  my  mind.  The  escaping  from 
so  awful  a  death,  made  even  imprisonment  happy  ;  the  more  so  as  my 
conquerors  on  the  field  treated  me  with  great  civility  and  politeness. 

The  regular  officers  said  that  they  were  very  happy  to  see  Col.  Allen  : 
I  answered  them,  that  I  should  rather  chose  to  have  seen  them  at  Gen- 
eral Montgomery's  camp.  The  gentlemen  replied,  that  they  gave  full 
credit  to  what  I  said,  and  as  I  walked  to  the  town,  which  was,  as  I  should 
guess,  more  than  two  miles,  a  British  officer  walking  at  my  right  hand, 
and  one  of  the  French  noblesse  at  my  left ;  the  htter  of  which,  in  the 
action,  had  his  eyebrow  carried  away  by  a  glancing  shot,  but  was  never- 
theless very  merry  and  facetious,  and  no  abuse  was  oflered  me  till  I  came 
to  the  barrack  yard  at  Montreal,  where  I  met  general  Prescott,  who  ask- 
ed me  my  name,  which  I  told  him :  He  then  asked  me,  whether  I  was 
that  Col.  Allen,  who  took  Ticonderoga.  I  told  him  I  was  the  very  man : 
Then  he  shook  his  cane  over  my  head,  calling  many  hard  names,  among 
which  he  frequently  used  the  word  rebel,  and  put  himself  in  a  great 
rage.  I  told  him  he  would  do  well  not  to  cane  me,  for  I  was  not  ac- 
customed to  it,  and  shook  my  fist  at  him,  telling  him  that  was  the  beetle 
of  mortality  for  him,  if  he  offered  to  strike  ;  upon  which  Capt.  ?Cloud 
of  the  British,  pulled  him  by  the  skirt,  and  whispered  to  him,  as  he  af- 
terwards told  me,  to  this  import ;  that  it  was  inconsistent  with  his  honor 
to  strike  a  prisoner.  He  then  ordered  a  sergeant's  command  with  fixed 
bayonets  to -come  forward,  and  kill  thirteen  Canadians,  which  were  in- 
cluded in  the  treaty  aforesaid. 

It  cut  me  to  the  heart  to  see  the  Canadians  in  so  hard  a  case,  in  con- 
sequence of  their  having  been  true  to  me  ;  they  were  wringing  their  hands, 
saying  their  prayers,  as  I  concluded,  and  expected  immediate  death. 
I  therefore  stepped  between  the  executioners  and  the  Canadiens,  open- 
ed my  clothes,  and  told  Gen.  Prescott  to  thrust  his  bayonets  into  my 
breast,  for  I  was  the  sole  cause  of  the  Canadians  taking  up  arms. 

The  guard,  in  the  mean  time,  rolling  their  eye-balls  from  the  General 
to  me,  as  though  impatiently  waiting  his  dread  commands  to  sheath  their 
bayonets  in  my  heart ;  I  could,  however,  plainly  discern,  that  he  was  in 
n  suspense  and  quandary  about  the  matter :  This  gave  me  additional 
hopes  of  succeeding ;  for  my  design  was  not  to  die,  but  to  save  the  Ca- 
nadians by  a  finesse.  The  general  stood  a  minute,  when  he  made  me 
the  following  reply ;  ''  I  will  not  execute  you  now  ;  but  you  shall  grace 
a  halter  at  Tyburn,  God  damn  you." 


VxKkktlVE. 


1ft 


t  remember  I  Hisdained  his  mentioning  such  a  place ;  I  wui,  nowith- 
standing,  a  little  pleased  with  the  expression,  as  it  significantly  conveyed 
to  me  the  idea  of  postponing  the  present  appearance  of  death  ;  besides 
his  sentence  was  by  no  means  final,  as  to  "  gracing  a  halter/'  although 
I  had  anxiety  about  it,  after  I  landed  n  England,  as  the  reader  will  find 
in  the  course  of  this  history.  Gen.  Prescott  then  ordered  one  of  his  of- 
ficers to  take  me  on  board  the  Gaspee  schooner  of  war,  and  confine  me, 
hands  and  feet,  in  irons,  which  was  done  the  same  afternoon  I  was  taken. 

The  action  continued  an  hour  and  three  quarters,  by  the  watch,  and 
I  know  r!ot  to  this  day  how  many  of  my  men  were  killed,  though  I  am 
certain  there  were  but  few.  If  I  remember  right,  7  were  wounded  ;  one 
of  them,  Wm.  Stewart,  by  name,  was  wounded  uy  a  savage  with  a  tom- 
ahawk, after  he  was  taken  prisoner  and  disarmed,  but  was  rescued  by 
some  of  the  generous  enemy  ;  and  so  far  recovered  of  his  wounds,  that 
he  afterwards  went  with  the  other  prisoners  to  England. 

Of  the  enemy,  were  killed  a  major  Garden,  who  had  been  wounded 
in  eleven  different  battles,  and  an  eminent  merchant,  Patterson,  of  Mon- 
treal, and  some  others,  but  I  never  knew  their  whole  loss,  as  their  ac- 
counts were  difTerent.  I  am  apprehensive  that  it  is  rare,  that  so  much 
ammunition  was  expended,  and  so  little  execution  done  by  it ;  though 
such  of  my  party  as  stood  their  ground,  behaved  with  great  fortitude, 
much  exceeding  that  of  the  enemy,  but  were  not  the  best  of  marksmen, 
and,  I  am  apprehensive,  were  all  killed  or  taken  ;  the  wounded  were  all 
put  into  the  hospital  at  Montreal,  and  those  that  were  not,  were  put  on 
board  of  different  vessels  in  the  river,  and  shackled  together  by  pairs, 
viz.  two  men  fastened  together  by  one  hand-cufT,  being  closely  fixed  to 
one  wrist  of  each  of  them,  and  treated  with  the  greatest  severity,  nay  as 
criminals. 

I  now  come  to  the  description  of  the  ironer,  which  were  put  on  me : 
The  hand-cuff  was  of  the  common  size  and  form,  but  my  leg  irons,  I 
should  imagine  woi^ld  weigh  thirty  pounds ;  the  bar  was  eight  feet  long, 
and  very  substantial ;  the  shackles,  which  encompassed  my  ancles,  were 
very  tight.  I  was  told  by  the  officer,  who  put  them  on,  that  it  was  the 
king's  plate,  and  I  heard  other  of  their  officers  say,  that  it  would  weigh 
forty  weight.  The  irons  were  so  close  upon  my  ancles,  that  I  could  not 
lay  down  in  any  other  manner  than  on  my  back.  I  was  put  into  the  low- 
est and  most  wretched  part  of  the  vessel,  where  I  got  the  favor  of  a  chest 
to  sit  on  ;  the  same  answered  for  my  bed  at  night ;  and  having  procured 
some  little  blocks  of  the  guard,  who  day  and  night,  with  fixed  bayonets, 
watched  over  me,  to  lie  under  each  end  of  the  large  bar  of  my  leg  irons, 
to  preserve  my  ancles  from  galling,  while  I  sat  on  the  chest,  or  lay  back 
on  the  same,  though  most  of  the  time,  night  and  day,  I  sat  on  it ;  but  at 
length,  having  a  desire  to  lie  down  on  my  side,  which  the  closeness  of 
my  irons  forbid,  I  desired  the  captain  to  loosen  them  for  that  purpose ; 
but  was  denied  the  favor.  The  Captain's  name  was  Royal,  who  did  not 
seem  to  be  an  ilNnatured  man  ;  but  oftentimes  said,  that  his  express  or- 
ders were  to  treat  me  with  such  severity,  which  was  disagreeable  to  his 
own  feelings  ;  nor  did  he  ever  insult  me,  though  many  others,  who  come 
on  board  did.    One  of  the  officers,  by  the  name  of  Bradley,  was  very 


-^«. 


19 


ITHAN   ALLCn'i 


\* 


\k' 


generoas  to  me  ;  he  would  often  send  me  victuals  from  his  own  table  ', 
nor  did  a  day  fail,  but  he  sent  me  a  good  drink  of  grog. 

The  reader  is  now  invited  hack  to  the  time  I  was  put  in  irons.  I  re* 
quested  the  privilege  to  write  to  General  Prescott,  which  was  granted. 
I  reminded  him  of  the  kind  and  generous  manner  of  my  treatment  of  the 
prisoners  I  took  at  Ticonderoga ;  the  injustice  and  ungentleman-like 
usage  I  had  met  with  from  him,  and  demanded  better  usage,  but  receiv- 
ed no  answer  from  him.  I  soon  after  wrote  to  Gen.  Carleton,  which  met 
the  same  success.  In  the  mean  while,  many  of  those  who  were  permit- 
ted to  see  me,  were  very  insulting.  ^ 

I  was  confined  in  the  manner  1  have  related,  on  board  the  Gaspee 
schooner,  about  six  weeks ;  during  which  time  I  was  obliged  to  throw 
out  plenty  of  extravagant  language,  which  answered  certain  purposes^ 
at  that  time,  better  than  to  grace  a  history. 

To  give  an  instance  ;  upon  being  insulted,  in  a  fit  of  anger,  I  twisted 
off  a  nail  with  my  teeth,  which  I  took  to  be  a  ten-penny  nail  j  it  went 
through  the  mortise  of  the  bar  of  my  hand-cuff,  and  at  the  same  time  I 
swaggered  over  those  who  abused  me  ;  particularly  a  Doctor  Dace,  who 
told  me  that  I  was  outlawed  by  New  York,  and  daerved  death  for  "sveral 
years  past ;  was  at  last  fully  ripened  for  the  halter,  and  in  a  fair  way  to 
obtain  it.  When  I  challenged  him,  he  excused  himself,  in  consequence, 
as  he  said,  of  my  being  a  criminal ;  but  I  ilung  such  a  flood  of  language 
at  him  that  it  shocked  him  and  the  spectators,  for  my  anger  was  very  great. 
I  heard  one  say,  damn  him,  can  he  eat  iron  ?  After  that,  a  small  padlock 
was  fixeu  to  the  hand-cuff,  instead  of  the  nail;  and  as  they  were  mean- 
spirited  in  their  treaiinent  to  me  so  it  appeared  to  me,  that  they  were 
equally  timorous  and  cowardly. 

I  was  after  sent,  with  the  prisoners  taken  with  me,  to  an  armed  vessel 
in  the  river,  which  lay  off  against  Quebec,  under  the  command  of  Capt. 
M'Cloud,  of  the  British,  who  treated  pie  in  a  ve  y  generous  and  obliging 
manner,  and  according  to  my  rank  ;  in  about  twenty-four  hours  I  bid 
him  farewell  with  regret ;  but  my  good  fortune  still  continued.  The 
name  of  the  Captain  of  the  vessel  I  was  put  on  board,  was  Ltttlejohn  ; 
who,  with  his  officers,  behaved  in  a  polite,  generous,  and  friendly  man- 
ner. I  lived  with  them  in  the  cabin,  and  fared  on  the  best,  my  irons 
being  taken  off,  contrary  to  the  order  he  had  received  from  the  command- 
ing officer ;  but  Capt  Littlejohn  swore,  that  a  brave  man  should  not  be 
used  as  a  rascal,  on  board  his  ship. 

Thus  I  found  myself  in  possession  of  happiness  once  more,  and  the 
evils  I  jiad  lately  suffered,  gave  me  an  uncommon  relish  for  it. 

Capt.  Littlejohn  used  to  go  to  Quebec  almost  every  day,  in  order  to 
pay  his  respects  to  certain  gentlemen  and  ladies ;  being  there  on  a  certain 
day,  he  happened  to  meet  with  some  disagreeable  treatment,  as  he  iniagin* 
ed,  from  a  Lieut,  of  a  man-ot-war,  and  one  word  brought  on  another, 
until  the  Lieut,  challenged  him  to  a  duel  on  the  plains  of  Abraham.  Capt. 
Littlejohn  was  a  gentleman,  who  entertained  a  high  sense  of  honor,  and 
could  do  no  less  than  accept  the  challenge. 

At  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning  they  were  to  fight.  The  Captain 
returned  in  the  evening,  and  acquainted  his  Lieutenant  and  me  with  the 


_*,-r^ 


ItltttlAtlVB. 


n 


18  own  table ; 

'•■ong.  I  re- 
was  granted. 
»tnientofthe 
*iitleman-Jike 
')  but  receiv- 
n>  »vhicii  met 
were  permit- 

the  Gaspee 
ed  to  throw 
in  purposes, 

"■,  I  twisted 
"' ;  it  went 
same  time  I 

Oace,  who 
I  for "everal 
fair  way  jq 

>«sequence, 
of  language 
'v,«=^y  great, 
a"  padlock 
vere  mean- 
t'ley  were 

med  vessel 
d  of  Capt. 
»d  obliging 
ours  I  bid 
red.     The 
'itllejohn  j 
idly  man- 
tny  irons 
ommand- 
Id  not  be 

,  and  the 


order  to 
a  certain 
!  imagin- 
another, 
a.  Capt. 
lor,  and 

Captain 
nth  the 


nOtair.  Itis  LieutenlEint  was  a  high  bloodied  Scotchman^  as  well  as  bim- 
self,  who  replied  to  his  Captain  that  he  should  not  want  for  a  second. 
With  this  I  interrupted  him  and  gave  the  Captain  to  understand,  that 
since  an  opportunity  had  presented,  I  would  be  glad  to  testify  my  grati- 
tude to  him,  by  acting  the  part  of  a  faithful  second;  on  which  he  gave 
me  his  hand,  and  said  that  he  wanted  no  better  man.  Says  he,  I  am 
a  King's  officer,  and  you  a  prisoner  under  my  care  ;  you  must,  therefore, 
go  with  me,  to  the  place  appointed  in  disguise,  and  added  further ;  *  You 
must  engage  me,  upon  the  honor  of  a  gentleman,  that  whether  I  die  or 
live,  or  whatever  happens,  provided  you  live,  that  you  will  return  to  my 
Lieutenant  on  board  this  ship.'  All  this  I  solemnly  engaged  him.  The 
combatants  were  to  discharge  each  a  pocket  pistol,  and  then  to  fall  on 
with  their  iron  hilted  muckle  whangers  ;  and  one  of  that  sort  was  allot- 
ted for  me  ;  but  some  British  officers,  who  interposed  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, settled  the  controversy  without  fighting. 

Now  having  enjoyed  eight  or  nine  days'  happiness,  from  the  polite 
and  generous  treatment  of  Captain  Liitlejohn  and  his  officers,  I  was 
obliged  to  bid  them  farewell,  parting  with  them  in  as  friendly  a  manner 
as  we  had  lived  together,  which,  to  the  best  of  my  memory,  was  the 
eleventh  of  November :  when  a  detachment  of  General  Arnold's  little 
army  appeared  on  point  Levi,^  opposite  Quebec,  who  had .  performed 
an  extraordinary  march  through  a  wilderness  country,  with  design  to 
have  surprised  the  capital  of  Canada ;  I  was  then  taken  on  board  a  ves- 
sel called  the  Adamant,  together  with  the  prisonerr  taken  with  me,  and 
put  under  the  power  of  an  English  Merchant  from  London,  whose  name 
was  Brook  Watson  ;  a  man  of  malicious  and  cruel  disposition,  and  who 
was  probably  excited,  in  the  exercise  of  his  malevolence,  by  a  junto  of 
tories,  who  saile(^with  hinf  to  England  ;  among  whom  were  Col.  Guy 
Johnson,  Col.  Closs,  and  their  attendants  and  associates,  to  the  number 
of  about  thirty. 

All  the  ship's  crew,  Col.  Closs,  in  his  personal  behavior  excepted,  be- 
haved towards  the  prisoners  with  that  spirit  of  bitterness,  which  is  the 
peculiar  characteristic  of  tories,  when  they  have  the  friends  of  America 
in  their  power,  measuring  their  loyalty  to  the  English  King  by  the  bar- 
barity, fraud  and  deceit  which  they  exercise  towards  the  whigs. 

A  small  place  in  the  vessel,  enclosed  with  white  oak  plank,  was  as- 
signed  for  the  prisoners,  and  for  me  among  the  rest,  I  should  imagine 
thai  it  was  not  more  than  twenty  feet  one  way,  and  twenty-two  the  oth- 
er. Into  this  place  we  were  all,  to  the  number  of  thirty-four,  thrust  and 
hand-cuffed,  two  prisoners  more  being  added  to  our  number,  and  were 
provided  with  two  excrement  tubs  ;  in  thiscircumferance  we  were  obliged 
to  eat  and  perform  the  offices  of  evacuation,  during  the  voyage  to  Eng- 
land •  and  were  insulted  by  every  black-guard  sailor  and  tory  on  board, 
in  the  cnielest  manner ;  but  what  is  the  most  surprising  is,  that  not  one 
of  us  died  in  the  passage.  When  I  was  first  ordered  to  go  into  the  filthy 
inclosure,  through  a  small  sort  of  door,  I  positively  refused,  and  endeav- 
ored  to  reason  the  before  named  Brook  Watson  out  of  a  conduct  so  de- 

•Levi,  a  point  of  land  ia  the  river  St.  Lawrence,  opposite  to  the  city  of  duebcc. 
3 


turn 


18 


ETHAH   ALLElt'g 


H- 


rogatory  to  every  sentiment  of  honor  and  humanity,  but  all  to  no  pur- 
pose, my  men  being  forced  in  the  den  already  ;  and  the  rascal  who  had 
the  charge  of  the  prisoners  commanded  me  to  go  immediately  in  among 
the  rest.  He  further  added  that  the  place  was  good  enough  for  a  rebel ; 
that  it  was  impertinent  for  a  capital  offender  to  talk  of  honor  or  humani- 
ty ;  that  any  thing  short  of  a  halter  was  to  good  for  me  ;  and  that  that 
would  be  my  portion  soon  after  I  landed  in  England ;  for  which  purpose 
only  I  was  sent  thither.  About  the  same  time  a  lieutenant  among  the 
tories,  insulted  me  in  a  grievous  manner,  saying  that  I  ought  to  have 
been  executed  for  my  rebellion  against  New  York,  and  spit  in  my  face  ; 
upon  which,  though  I  was  hand-cufled,  I  sprang  at  him  with  both  handS;, 
and  knocked  him  partly  down,  but  he  scrambled  along  into  the  cabin, 
and  I  after  him  ;  there  he  got  under  the  protection  of  sonie  men  with 
«fixed  bayonets,  who  were  ordered,  to  make  ready  to  drive  me  into  the 
place  aforementioned.  I  challenged  him  to  fight,  notwithstanding  the 
impediments  that  were  on  my  hands,  and  had  the  exalted  pleasure  to  see 
the  rascal  tremble  for  fear ;  his  name  I  have  forgot,  but  Watson  ordered 
his  guard  to  get  me  into  the  place  with  the  other  prisoners,  dead  or  alive ; 
and  1  had  almost  as  lieve  die  as  do  it,  standing  it  out  until  they  environ- 
ed me  round  with  bayonets;  and  brutish,  prejudiced,  abandoned  wretch- 
es they  were,  from  whom  I  could  expect  nothing  but  death  or  wounds ; 
however  I  told'them,  that  they  were  good  honest  fellows;  that  I  could 
not  blame  them ;  that  I  was  only  in  dispute  with  a  calico  merchant,  who 
knew  not  how  to  behave  towards  a  gentleman  of  the  military  establish- 
ment. This  was  spoken  rather  to  appease  them  for  my  own  preserva- 
tion, as  well  as  to  treat  Watson  with  contempt ;  but  still  I  found  they 
were  determined  to  force  me  into  the  wretched  circumstances,  which 
their  prejudiced  and  depraved  minds  had  prepared  for  me ;  therefore, 
rather  than  die,  I  submitted  to  their  indignities,  being  drove  with  bayonets 
into  the  filthy  dungeon  with  the  other  prisoners,  where  we  were  denied 
fresh  water,  except  a  small  allowance,  which  was  very  inadequate  to  our 
wants ;  and  in  consequence  of  the  stench  of  the  place,  each  of  us  was 
soon  followed  with  a  diarrhcba  and  fever,  which  occasioned  an  intolera- 
ble thirst.  When  we  asked  for  water,  we  were,  most  commonly,  in- 
stead of  obtaining  it,  insulted  and  derided  ;  and  to  add  to  all  the  horrors 
of  the  place,  it  was  so  dark  that  we  could  not  see  each  other,  and  were 
overspread  with  body  lice.  We  had,  notwithstanding  these  severities, 
full  allowance  of  salt  provisions,  and  a  gill  of  rum  per  day ;  the  latter  of 
which  was  of  the  utmost  service  to  us,  and,  probably,  was  the  means  of 
saving  several  of  our  lives.  About  forty  days  we  existed  in  this  man- 
ner, when  the  land's  end  of  England  was  discovered  from  the  mast  head  • 
soon  after  which,  the  prisoners  were  taken  from  their  gloomy  abode' 
being  permitted  to  see  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  breathe  fresh  air,  which 
to  us  was  very  refreshing.     The  day  following  we  landed  at  Falmouth. 

A  few  days  before  I  was  taken  prisoner,  I  shifted  my  clothes,  by  which 
I  happened  to  be  taken  in  a  Canadian  dress,  viz  ,  a  short  fawn-skin  jack- 
et, double-breasted,  an  undervest  and  breeches  of  sagathy,  worsted 
stockings,  a  decent  pair  of  shoes,  two  plain  shirts,  and  a  red  worsted 
cap  ;  this  was  all  the  clothing  I  had,  in  which  I  made  my  appearance  in 
England. 


iNM 


ll««*^tl<|lL*«^  •^^^j^V 


NARRiTire. 


1» 


When  the  prisoners  were  landed,  multitudes  of  the  citizens  of  Fal> 
mouth,  excited  by  curiosity,  crowded  to  see  us,  which  was  equally  grati- 
fying to  us.  I  saw  numbers  on  the  tops  of  houses,  and  the  rising  adja- 
cent grounds  were  covered  with  them,  of  both  sexes.  The  throng  was 
so  great,  that  the  king's  officers  were  obliged  to  draw  their  swords,  and 
force  a  passage  to  Pendennis  castle,  which  was  near  a  mile  from  the  town, 
where  we  were  closely  confined,  in  consequence  of  orders  from  General 
Carleton,  who  then  commanded  in  Canada. 

The  rascally  Brook  Watson  then  set  out  for  London  in  great  haste^ 
expecting  the  reward  of  his  zeal ;  but  the  ministry  received  him,  as  I 
have  been  since  informed,  rather  coolly  ;  for  the  the  minority  in  parlia- 
ment took  advantage,  arguing  that  the  opposition  of  America  to  Great 
Britain,  was  not  a  rebellion  :  K  it  is,  say  they,  why  do  you  not  execute 
Col.  Allen  according  to  law  ?  But  the  majority  argued  that  I  ought  to 
be  executed,  and  that  the  opposition  was  really  a  rebellion,  but  that  pol- 
icy obliged  them  not  to  do  it,  inasmuch  as  the  Congress  had  then  most 
prisoners  in  their  power ;  so  that  my  being  sent  to  England,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  being  executed,  and  necessity  restraining  them,  was  rather  a  foil 
on  their  laws  and  authority,  and  they  consequently  disapproved  of  my 
being  sent  thither.  But  I  had  never  heard  the  least  hint  of  those  de- 
bates, in  parliament,  or  of  the  woiking  of  their  policy,  until  sometime 
after  I  left  England. 

Consequently  the  reader  will  readily  conceive  I  was  anxious  about  my 
preservation,  knowing  that  I  was  in  the  power  of  a  haughty  and  cruel 
nation,  considered  as  such.  Therefore,  the  first  proposition  which  I  de- 
termined in  my  own  mind  was,  that  humanity  and  moral  suasion  would  not 
be  consulted  in  the  determining  of  my  fate  ;  and  those  that  daily  came  in 
great  numbers  out  of  curiosity,  to  see  me,  both  gentle  and  simple,  united 
in  this,  that  I  would  be  hanged.  A  gentleman  from  America,  by  the  name 
»f  Temple,  and{who  was  friendly  to  me,  just  whispered  me  in  the  ear,  and 
told  me  that  bets  were  laid  in  London,  that  I  would  be  executed  ;  he 
likewise  privately  gave  ine  a  guinea,  but  durst  say  but  little  to  me. 

However,  agreeably  to  my  first  negative  proposition,  that  moral  virtue 
would  not  influence  my  destiny,  I  had  recourse  to  stratagem,  which  I 
was  in  hopes  would  move  in  the  circle  of  their  policy.  I  requested  of 
the  commander  of  the  castle  the  privilege  of  writing  to  Congress,  who, 
after  consulting  with  an  officer  that  lived  in  town,  of  a  superior  rank, 
permitted  me  to  write.  I  wrote,  in  the  fore  part  of  the  letter,  a  short 
narrative  of  my  ill-treatment;  but  withal  let  them  know  that,  though  I 
was  treated  as  a  criminal  in  England,  and  continued  in  irons,  togethei; 
with  those  taken  with  me,  yet  it  was  in  conseqence  of  the  orders  which 
the  commander  of  the  castle  received  from  General  Carleton  ;  and  there- 
fore desired  Congress  to  desist  from  matters  of  retaliation,  until  they 
should,  know  the  result  of  the  government  in  England,  respecting  their 
treatment  towards  me,  and  the  prisoners  with  me,  and  govern  themselves 
accordingly,  with  a  particular  request,  that  if  retaliation  should  be  found 
necessary,  it  might  be  exercised  not  according  to  the  smallness  of  my 
character  in  America,  but  in  proportion  to  the  importance  of  the  cause 
for  which  I  suffered.    This  is,  according  to  my  present  recollection,  thq 


■\ 


so 


KTUAN  ALLIN  S 


substance  of  the  letter,  inscribed, — <*  To  the  illuatrious  Continental 
Congreaa."  This  letter  was  written  with  a  view  that  it  should  be  sent 
to  the  ministry  at  London,  rather  than  to  Congress,  with  a  desigiuto  in- 
timidate the  haughty  English  government,  and  screen  my  neck  from  the 
halter. 

The  next  day  the  officer,  from  whom  I  obtained  license  to  write,  came 
to  see  me,  and  frowned  on  me  on  account  of  the  impudence  of  the  letter, 
as  he  phrased  it,  and  further  added,  '  Do  you  think  that  we  are  fools  in 
England,  and  would  send  your  letter  to  Congress,  with  instructions  to 
retaliate  on  our  own  people  ?  I  have  sent  your  Jetter  to  Lord  North.' 
This  gave  me  inward  satisfaction,  though  I  carefully  concealed  it  with  a 
pretended  resentment,  for  I  found  I  had  come  Yankee  over  him,  and 
that  the  letter  had  gone  to  the  identical  person  I  designed  it  for.  Nor 
do  I  know,  to  this  day,  but  thai  it  had  the  desired  effect,  though  I  have 
not  heard  any  thing  of  the  letter  since. 

My  personal  treatment  by  Lieutenant  Hamilton,  who  commanded  the 
castle,  was  very  generous.  He  sent  me  every  day  a  fine  breakfast  and 
dinner  from  his  own  table,  and  a  bottle  of  good  wine.  Another  aged 
gentleman,  whose  name  I  cannot  recollect,  sent  me  a  good  supper.  But 
there  was  no  distinction  in  public  support  between  me  and  the  privates ; 
we  all  lodged  on  a  sort  of  Dutch  bunks,  in  one  common  apartment,  and 
were  allowed  straw.  The  privates  were  well  supplied  with  fresh  provis- 
ions, and  with  me  took  efTectiial  measures  to  rid  ourselves  of  lice. 

I  could  not  but  feel,  inwardly  extremely  anxious  for  my  fate.  This,  I 
however,  concealed  from  the  prisoners,  as  well  as  from  the  enemy,  who 
were  perpetually  shaking  the  halter  at  me.  I  nevertheless  treated  them 
with  scorn  and  contempt ;  and  having  sent  my  letter  to  the  ministry, 
could  conceive  of  nothing  more  in  my  power  but  to  keep  up  my  spirits, 
6ehave  in  a  daring,  soldier-like  manner,  that  Lmight  exhibit  a  good  sam- 
ple of  American  fortitude.'*^  Such  a  conduct,  I  judged  would  have  <« 
more  probable  tendency  to  my  preservation  than  concession  and  timidi- 
ty. This  therefore,  was  my  deportment ;  and  I  had  lastly  determined, 
in  my  mind,  that  if  a  cruel  death  must  inevitably  be  my  portion,  I  would 
face  it  undaunted  ;  and,  though  I  greatly  rejoice  that  I  returned  to  my 
country  and  friends,  and  to  see  the  power  and  pride  of  Great  Britain 
humbled  ;  yet  J  am  confident  I  could  then  have  died  without  the  least 
appearance  of  dismay. 

I  now  clearly  recollect  that  my  mind  was  so  resolved,  that  I  ivould 
not  have  trembled  or  shewn  the  least  fear,  as  I  was  sensible  it  could  not 
alter  my  fate,  nor  do  more  than  reproach  my  memory,  make. my  last  act 
despicable  to  my  enemies,  and  eclipse  the  other  actions  of  my  life.  For 
I  reasoned  thus,  that  nothing  was  more  common  than  for  men  to  die' 
with  their  friends  around  them,  weeping  and  lamenting  over  them,  but 
not  able  to  help  them,  which  was  in  reality  not  different  in  the  conse- 

*The  British  must  doubtless  have  had  a  high  idea  of  the  personal  prowess  of  Mr. 
Allen ;  and  however  superior  their  regular  discipline  might  have  appeared  in  their 
own  eyes,  yet  they  could  not  but  respect  his  courage.  To  this  intrepid  spirit,  and 
the  esteem  it  must  have  excited,  the  Colonel  probably  owes  his  complimentai-y 
meals  and  his  daily  bottle  of  wine,  _ f.  .     ,    J 


KARRATIVC. 


«i 


quence  of  it  from  s'ich  a  death  as  I  was  apprehensive  of;  and,  as  death 
was  the  natural  consequence  of  animal  life  to  which  the  laws  of  nature 
subject  mankind,  to  be  timorous  and  uneasy  as  to  the  event  and  manner 
of  it,  was  inconsistent  with  the  character  of  a  philosopher  and  soldier. 
The  cause  I  was  engaged  in,  I  ever  viewed  worthy  hazarding  my  life 
for,  nor  was  I,  in  the  most  critical  moments  of  trouble,  sorry  that  I  en- 
gaged-in  it ;  and,  as  to  the  world  of  spirits,  ^though  I  knew  nothing  of 
the  mode  or  manner  of  it,  I  expected  nevertlieless.  when  I  should  arrive 
at  such  a  world,  that  I  should  be  as  well  treated  as  other  gentlemen  of 
myment. 

Among  the  great  numbers  of  people,  who  came  to  the  castle  to  see 
the  prisoners,  some  gentlemen  told  'ne  that  they  had  come  fifty  miles  on 
purpose  to  see  me,  and  desired  to  csk  me  a  number  of  questions,  and  to 
make  free  with  me  in  conversation.  I  gave  for  answer  that  I  chose  free* 
dom  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Then  one  of  them  asked  me  what 
my  occupation  in  life  had  been  ?  I  answered  him,  that  in  my  younger 
days  I  had  studied  divinity,  but  I  was  a  conjuror  by  profession.  He  re- 
plied, that  I  conjured  wrung  at  the  time  I  was  taken ;  and  I  was  obliged 
to  own,  that  I  mistook  a  figure  at  that  time,  but  that  I  had  conjured  them 
out  of  Ticonderoga.  This  was  a  place  of  great  notoriety  in  England,  r 
so  that  the  joke  seemed  to  go  in  my  favor. 

It  was  a  common  thing  for  ma  to  be  taken   out  of  close  confinement, ' 
into  a  spacious  green  in  the  custle,  or  rather  parade,  where  numbers  of 
gentlemen  and  ladies  were  ready  to  see  and  hear  me.     I  often  entertain- 
ed such  audiences  with  harangues  on  jllie  impracticability  of  Great  Brit-  - 
ain's  conquering  the  then  colonies  of  America.     At  one  of  these  times 
I  asked  a  gentleman  for  a  bowl  of  punch,  and  he  ordered  his  servant  to  , 
bring  it,  which  he  did,  and  offered  it  to  me,  but  I  refused  to  take  it  from 
the  hand   of  his  servant ;  he  then  gave  it  to  me  with  his  own  hand,  re- 
fusing to  drink  with  me  in  consequence  of  my  beihg  a  state  criminal : 
However,  I  took  the  punch  and  drank  it  oil  down  at  one  draught,  and 
handed  the  gentleman  the  bowl :  this  made  the  spectators  as  well  as  my- 
self merry. 

I  expatiated  on  American  freedom.  This  gained  theVesentment  of  a 
young,  beardless  gentleman  of  the  company,  who  gave  himself  very  great 
airs,  and  replied  that  he  '  knew  the  Americdns  very  well,  and  was  cer- 
tain that  they  could  not  bearihe  smell  of  powder.'  I  replied,  that  I  ac- 
cepted it  as  a  challenge,  and  was  ready  (o  convince  him  on  the  spot,  that 
an  American  could  bear  the  smell-of  powder;  at  which  he  answered 
that  ho  should  not  put  himself  on  a  par  with  me.  I  then  demanded  of 
him  to  ireat  the  character  of  the  Americans  with  due  respect.  He  an- 
swered that  1  was  an  Irishman  ;  but  I  assured  him  that  I  was  a  full 
blooded  Yankee,  and  in  fine  bantered  him  so  much;  that  he  left  me  in 
possession  of  the  ground,  and  the  laugh  went  against  him.  Two  clergy- 
men came  to  see  me,  and,  inasmuch  as  they  behaved  with  civility,  I  re- 
turned them  the  same.  We  discoursed  on  several  parts  of  moral  philos- 
ophy and  Christianity  ;  and  they  seemed  *o  be  surprised  that  I  should 
be  acquainted  with  such  topics,  or  that  1  should  understand  a  syllogism, 
or  regular  mode  cf  argumentation.    I  am  apprehensive  my  Caoadian 


I. 


! 


(■ 


I 


/v 


2^ 


ETHAN  ALLEN'g 


dress  contributed  not  a  little  M  ♦». 

When  we  were  Rr.f  h        u  Provisions 

to  oome„*ai„^°  Tr^r  ?  ?»'«■="'«,  off  ,ht  11"  '  '"^^'sn 

of-war  wan  mrt»=  «  L-  ^* '"  an  evii  cnso  •  tu  ..  "'e'li,  consult-^ 

However,  two  davsaftrr   I    k       ,  ""J' Pubi.c  j„s. 

could,  and  went  Tdeek    '  T^''^  '^-"^  ^'«-"=ed  myseK  „.  ^  „ 
and  said  :  '  did  I  Lt      '^    ^^  ^^P^^^»  spoke  to  m «  •      °®  "'®"  as  I 
"i™,  that  at  the  saZ  Zfir^^'^  ^^^  <>«'  S "'''   T^^  ^«S^' 
to  walk  ;  that  f  was  Co  ^  i  a  .?'^' '  ^^^^  '»  vvas  the  vino  J  r       ^"^"'ered 

would  directly  awl  '  ^'"^  "'^^^^"^  "^^  off    Tl^'T'^'  «'''«»  he, 


V    i' 


RitlBATITE. 


It  was  but  a  few  nights  I  lodged  in  the  cable  tier,  before  I  gained  an 
acquaintance  with  the  master  of  arms,  his  name  was  Gillegan,  an  Irish- 
man, who  was  a  generous,  and  well  disposed  man,  and  in  a  friendly  man- 
ner made  me  an  ofTer,  of  living  with  him  in  a  little  birth,  which  was  al- 
lotted him  between  decks,  and  enclosed  with  canvass ;  his  preferment  on 
board  was  about  equal  to  that  of  a  sergeant  in  a  regiment.  I  was  com->> 
paratively  happy  in  the  acceptance  of  his  clemency,  and  lived  with  him 
in  friendship  till  the  frigate  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Cape  Fear,  North 
Carolina,  in  America. 

Nothing  of  material  consequence  happened  till  the  fleet  rendezvoused 
at  the  cove  of  Cork,  except  a  violent  storm  which  brouf^ht  old  hardy 
sailors  to  their  prayers.  It  was  soon  rumored  in  Cork  lu.'^t  I  was  on 
board  the  Solebay,  with  a  number  of  prisoners  from  America ;  upon 
which  Messrs.  Clark  &Hays,  merchants  in  company,  and  a  number  of 
other  benevolently  disposed  gentlemen,  contributed  largely  to  the  relief 
and  support  of  the  prisoners,  who  were  thirty-four  in  number,  and  in 
very  n^jdy  circumstances.  A  suit  of  clothes  from  head  to  foot,  includ- 
ing an  overcoat  or  surtout,  and  two  shirts  were  bestowed  upon  each  of 
them.  My  suit  I  received  in  superfine  broadcloths,  sufficient  for  two 
jackets  and  two  pair  of  breeches,  overplus  of  a  suit  throughout,  eight 
tine  Holland  shirts  and  stocks  ready  made,  with  a  number  of  pairs  of 
silk  and  worsted  hose,  two  pair  of  shoes,  two  beaver  hats,  one  of  which 
was  sent  me  richly  laced  with  gold,  by  James  Bonwell.  The  Irish  gen- 
tlemen furthermore  made  a  large  gratuity  of  wines  of  the  best  sort,  spir- 
its, gin,  loaf  and  brown  sugar,  tea  and  chocolate,  with  a  large  round  of 
pickled  beef,  and  a  number  of  fat  turkies,  with  many  other  articles,  for 
my  sea  stores,  too  tedious  to  mention  here.  To  the  privates  they  be- 
stowed on  each  man  two  pounds  of  tea,  and  six  pounds  of  brown  sugar. 
These  articles  were  received  on  hoard  at  a  time  when  the  captain  and 
first  lieutenant  were  gone  on  shore,  by  the  permission  of  the  second 
lieutenant,  a  handsome  young  gentleman,  who  was  then  under  twenty 
years  of  age ;  his  name  was  Douglass,  son  of  the  admiral  Douglass,  as  I 
was  informed. 

As  this  munificence  was  so  unexpected  and  plentiful,  I  may  add  need- 
ful, it  impressed  on  my  mind  the  highest  sense  of  gratitude  towards  my 
benefactors;  for  I  was  not  only  supplied  with  the  necessaries  and  con- 
veniences of  life,  but  wijh  the  grandeurs  and  superfluities  of  it.  Mr  Hays, 
one  of  the  donators  before-mentioned,  came  on  board,  and  behaved  in 
the  most  obliging  raanier,  telling  me  he  hoped  my  troubles  were  past ; 
for  that  the  gentiemea  of  Cork  determined  to  make  my  sea  stores  equal 
to  those  of  the  captain  of  the  Soiebuy  ;  he  made  an  offer  of  live  stock 
and  wherewith  support  them  ;  but  I  knew  this  would  be  denied.  And 
•o  crown  oil,  did  send  me  by  another  person,  fifty  gumeas,  but  I  could 
not  reconcile  receiving  the  whole  to  my  own  feelings,  as  it  might  have 
the  appearance  of  avarice  ;  and  therefore  received  but  seven  guineas 
only,  and  am  confident,  not  only  from  the  exercise  of  the  present  well 
timed  generosity,  but  from  a  large  acquaintance  with  gentleman  of  this 
nation,  that  as  a  people  they  excel  in  hueruilty  and  bravery. 

Ti^o  days  after  the  receipt  of  the  aforesaid   donations,  captain  Sym- 
onds  came  on  board,  full  of  envy  towards  the  prisoners,  and  swore  by 


I 


24 


KtHAif    ALLEn's 


all  that  is  good,  that  the  damned  American  rebels  should  not  be  feasted 
at  this  rate,'  by  the  damned  rebels  of  Ireland  ;  he  therefore  took  away 
all  my  liquors  before-mentioned,  except  some  of  the  wine  which  was  se-^ 
creted,  and  a  two  gallon  jug  of  old  spirits  which  was  reserved  for  me  per 
favor  of  lieutenant  Douglass.  The  taking  of  my  liquors  was  abomina-^ 
ble  in  his  sight ;  he  therefore  spoke  in  my  behalf,  till  the  captain  was  ao' 
gry  with  him ;  and  in  consequence,  proceeded  and  took  away  all  the  tea 
and  sugar,  which  had  been  given  to  the  prisoners,  and  con^scatud  it  to 
the  use  of  the  ship's  crew.  Our  clothing  was  not  taken  away,  but  the 
privates  were  forced  to  do  duty  on  board.  Soon  after  this  there  came  a 
boat  to  the  side  of  the  ship,  and  captain  Symonds  asked  a  gentleman  in 
it,  in  my  hearing,  what  his  business  was  ?  who  answered  that  he  was 
sent  to  deliver  some  sea  stores  to  Col.  Allen,  which  if  I  remember  right, 
he  said  were  sent  from  Dublin  ;  but  the  captain  damned  him  heartily, 
ordering  him  away  from  the  ship,  and  would  not  suffer  him  to  deliver  the 
stores.  I  was  furthermore  informed  that  the  gentlemen  in  Cork,  reques" 
ted  of  Captain  Symonds,  that  I  might  be  allowed  to  come  into  the  city, 
and  that  they  would  be  responsible  I  should  return  to  the  frigate  at  a 
given  time,  which  was  denied  them. 

We  sailed  from  England  the  dth  day  of  January,  and  from  the  cove  of 
Cork  the  12th  day  of  Feb'y.  Just  before  we  sailed,  the  prisoners  with 
me  were  divided,  and  put  on  board  three  different  ships  of  war.  This 
gave  me  some  uneasiness,  for  they  were  to  a  man  zealous  in  the  cause 
of  liberty,  and  behaved  with  a  becoming  fortitude  in  the  various  scenes 
of  their  captivity  ;  but  those,  who  v/ere  distributed  on  board  other  ships 
of  war  were  much  better  used  than  those  who  tarried  with  me,  as  appear- 
ed afterwards.  When  the  fleet,  consisting  of  about  forty >five  sail,  in- 
cluding five  men  of  war,  sailed,  from  the  cove  with  a  fresh  breeze,  the 
apparance  was  beautiful,  abstracted  from  the  unjust  and  bloody  desipns 
they  had  in  view.  We  had  not  sailed  many  days,  before  a  mighty  storm 
arose,  which  lasted  near  twenty-four  hours  without  intermission.  The 
wind  blew  with  relentless  fury,  and  no  man  could  remain  on  deck,  ex« 
cept  he  was  lashed  fast,  for  the  waves  rolled  over  the  deck  by  turns, 
with  a  forcible  rapidity  and  every  soul  on  board  was  anxious  for  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  ship,  alias,  their  lives.  In  this  storm  the  Thunder-bomb 
man  of  war,  sprang  a  leak,  and  was  afterwards  floated  to  some  part  to 
the  coast  of  England,  and  the  crew  saved.  We«were  then  said  to  be  in 
the  Bay  of  Biscay.  After  the  storm  abated,  I  could  plainly  discern  the 
prisoners  were  better  used  for  some  consideraUlo  time. 

Nothing  of  consequence  happened  after  this,  till  we  had  sailed  to  the 
island  of  Ma  ^ria,  except  a  certain  favor  I  had  received  of  captain  Sym- 
onds, in  consequence  of  an  application  I  made  to  him  for  the  privilege 
of  his  tailor  to  make  me  a  suit  of  clothes  of  the  cloth  bestowed  on  me 
in  Ireland,  which  he  generously  granted.  I  could  then  walk  the  deck 
with  a  seeming  better  grace.  When  we  had  reached  Maderia,  and  an- 
chored, sundry  gentlemen  with  the  captain  went  on  shore,  who  I  con- 
clude, gave  the  rumor  that  I  was  in  the  frigate  ;  upon  which  I  soon  after 
found  that  Irish  generosity  was  again  excited  ;  for  a  gentleman  of  that 
nation  sen*  iiis  clerk  on  board,  to  know  of  me  if  I  would  accept  a  sea 


mmmm>ti0f9^ 


not  be  feasted 
ore  took  away 
which  was  se' 
'ed  for  me  per 
was  afaomina^ 
ptain  wasao- 
'ay  all  the  tea 
nfiscatud  it  fo 
away,  but  the 
there  came  a 
genileman  in 
that  he  was 
leniber  right, 
him  heartily, 
o  deliver  the 
■*irk,  reques* 
nto  the  city 
frigate  at  a 

the  cove  of 
isoners  with 

war.  This 
\  the  cause 
ious  scenes 
other  ships 

as  appear- 
^^  sail,  in. 
freeze,  the 
dy  desipns 
?hty  storm 
on.  The 
deck,  ex- 

h  turns, 

the  pres- 
Jer-bomb 
le  part  to 

to  be  in 
'cern  the 

d  to  the 
in  Sym- 
"•ivilego 
'  on  me 
Je  deck 
ind  an- 

I  con- 
n  after 
>f  that 

a  sea 


KARBATITE. 


95 


:*& 


store  from  him,  particularly  wine.  This  matter  I  made  known  to  tlie 
generous  lieutenant  Douglass,  who  readily  granted  me  the  favor,  pro> 
tided  the  articles  could  be  brought  on  board,  during  the  time  of  his  com- 
mand  ;  adding  that  it  wou'd  be  a  pleasure  to  him  to  serve  mo,  notwith- 
standing  the  opposition  he  met  with  before.  So  I  directed  the  gentle- 
man's derk  to  inform  him  that  I  was  greatly  in  need  of  so  signal  a  charitj, 
end  desired  the  young  gentleman  to  make  the  utmost  despatch,  which 
he  did;  but  in  the  meantime,  captain  Symonv.s  and  his  officers  came  on 
board,  and  immediately  made  ready  for  sailing;  the  wind  at  the  same 
time  being  fair,  set  sail  when  the  young  gentleman  wai  in  fair  sight 
with  the  aforesaid  store. 

The  reader  will  doubtless  recollect  the  seven  guineas  I  received  at  the 
cove  of  Cork.  These  enabled  me  to  purchase  of  the  purser  what  I  want- 
ed, had  not  the  Cuptain  strictly  forbidden  it,  though  I  made  sundry  ap- 
plications to  him  for  that  purpose ;  but  his  answer  to  me,  when  I  waa 
«ick,  was,  that  it  waa  no  matter  how  «oon  I  was  dead,  and  that  he  was 
no  ways  anxious  to  preserve  the  lives  of  rebels,  but  wished  them  all  dead ; 
«nd  indeed  that  was  the  language  of  most  of  the  sh'.p's  crew.  I  expos- 
tulated not  only  with  the  captain,  but  with  other  gentlemen  on  board,  on 
the  unreasonat^leness  of  such  usage ;  inferring  that,  inasmuch  aa  the 
gov«rnment  in  England  did  not  proceed  against  me  as  a  capital  ofTender, 
they  should  not ;  for  that  they  were  by  no  means  empowered  by  any  au- 
thority, either  civil  or  military,  to  do  so;  for  the  English  government  had 
acquitted  me  by  sending  me  back  a  prisoner  of  war  to  America,  and 
that  they  should  treat  me  as  such.  I  further  drew  an  inference  of  impoli- 
cy on  them,  provided  they  should  by  hard  usage,  destroy  my  life  ;  inas- 
much as  I  might,  if  living,  redeem  one  'Of  their  officers ;  but  the  captain 
replied,  that  he  needed  no  directions  of  mine  how  to  treat  a  rebel ;  that 
the  British  would  conquer  the  American  rebels,  hang  the  Congress,  and 
such  as  promoted  the  rebellion,  me  in  particular,  and  retake  their  own 
prisoners ;  so  that  my  life  was  of  no  consequence  in  the  scale  of  **^  ^*r 
policy.  I  gave  him  for  answer  that  if  they  stayed  till  they  conquered 
America,  before  they  banged  me,  /  should  die  of  old  age,  and  desired  that 
till  such  an  event  took  place,  he  would  at  least  allow  me  to  purchase  of  the 
purser,  from  my  own  money,such  articles  as  I  greatly  needed  ;  but  he  would 
not  permit  it,  and  when  I  reminded  him  of  th&generou«  and  civil  usage 
that  their  prisoners  in  captivity  in  America  met  with,  he  Sttid  that  it  waa 
nov.  owing  to  their  goodness  but  their  timidity  ;  fur,  said  he,  thry  expect 
to  be  conquered,  and  therefore  dare  not  misuse  our  prisoners ;  and  in 
fact  this  was  the  language  of  the  British  officers,  till  Burgoyne  was  taken  ;* 

♦It  was  the  plan  of  the  British  generals,  to  push  a  body  of  troops  from  New  York, 
to  join  Generiy  Biirgoyne  at  Albany,  and  by  establishing;  a  line  of  British  posts  on 
the  Hudson,  to  intercept  the  intercourse  between  the  New  England  'and  Southern 
States.  While  General  Burgoyne  was  attempting  to  advance  towards  Albanyi  Geno' 
ral  Clinton  with  a  force  of  three  thousand  men  took  possession  of  Fort  Montgomery, 
after  severe  loss.  General  Vaughan,  with  a  body  of  troops,  on  board  of  armed  ships, 
sailed  up  the  Hudson,  as  far  as  Livingston's  manor,  where  he  landed  a  party,  burnt  a 
large  house  belonging  to  one  of  the  family ;  then  sent  a  party  to  the  apposite  shore  and 
l&ia  in  ashes  the  town  of  Kingston.  But  General  Burgoyne,dospairing  ot  the  junction  be* 
tween  his  army  and  the  divisioa  trbm  New  Yorki  surrounded  by  a  superior  army/  and 
4 


i^wiCTW 


^mmt 


ETHAN   ALLEN  S 


ft":  if 


liappy  event !  and  not  only  of  the  officers  but  the  whole  British  arniy* 
I  appeal  to  all  my  brother  prisoners,  who  have  been  with  the  British  irw 
the  southern  Department,  for  a  confirmation  of  what  1  have  advanced 
on  this  subject.  The  surgeon  of  the  S-olebay,  whose  name  was  North, 
was  a  very  humane,  obliging  man,  and  took  the  best  care  of  the  prison- 
ers who  were  sick. 

The  third,  day  of  May  we  cast  anchor  in  the  harbor  of  Cape  Fear,  in 
North  Carolina,  as  did  Sir  Peter  Parker's  ship,  of  50  guns,  a  little  baek 
of  the  bar ;  for  there  was  not  depth  of  water  for  him  to  come  in(o>  the 
harbor.  These  two  men  of  war,  and  fourteen  sail  of  transports  and  oth- 
ers, came  after,  so  that  most  of  the  fleet  rendezvoused  at  Cape  Fear, 
for  three  weeks.  The  soldiers  on  board  the  transports,  were  sickly,  in 
consequence  of  so  long  a  passage  ;.  add  to  this  the  sroaN-poz  carried  oflT 
many  of  them.  They  landed  on  the  main,  and  formed  a  camp  ;,  but 
the  riflemen  annoyed  them,  and  caused  them  to  move  to  an  island  in  the 
harbor ;  but  such  cursing  of  riflemen  I  never  heard. 

A  detachment  of  regulars  was  sent  up  Brunswick  river ;  as  they  land- 
ed, they  were  fired  on  by  those  marksmen,  and  they  came  back  ne»t 
day  damning  the  rebels  for  their  unmanly  way  of  fighting,  and*  swearing 
that  they  would  give  no  quarter,  for  they  took  sight  at  them,  and  were  be- 
hind timber  skulking  about.  One  of  the  detachments  said  they  lost  one 
man  ;  but  a  negro  man  who  was  with  them,  and  heard  what  was  said,  soon 
after  told  me  that  be  helped  to  bury  thirty-one  of  them  ;  this  did  me  some 
good  to  find  my  countrymen  giving  them  battle ;  for  I  never  heard  such 
swaggering  as  among  Gen.  Clinton's  little  army  who  commanded  at  that 
time  ;  and  I  am  apt  to  think  there  were  four  thousand  men,  though  not 
two  thirds  of  them  fit  for  duty.  I  heard  numbers  of  them  say,  that  the 
trees  in  America  should  hang  well  with  fruit  that  campaign  for  they 
would  give  no  quarter.  This  was  in  the  noouths  of  most  who  I  heard 
■peak  on  the  subject,  officer  as  well  as  soldier.  I  wished  at  that  time 
my  countrymen  knew,  as  well  as  I  did,  what  a  murdering  and  cruel  ene- 
my they  had  to  deal  with  ;  but  experience  has  since  taught  this  country, 
what  they  are  to  expect  at  the  hands  of  Britons  when  in  their  power. 

The  prisoners,  who  hnd  been  scht  on  board  difTerent  men  of  war  at 
the  cove  of  Cork,  were  collected  together,  and  the  whole  of  them  put 
on  board  the  Mercury  frigate,  capt.  James  Montague,  except'oneof  the 
Canadians,  who  died  on  the  passage  from  Ireland,  and  Peter  Noble,  who 
made  his  escape  from  the  Sphynx  man-of-war  in  this  harbour,  and,  by 
extraordinary  swimming,  got  safe  home  to  New  England,  and  gave  in- 
telligence of  the  usage  of  his  brother  prisoners.  The  Mercury  set  sail 
froui  this  port  for  Halifax,  about  the  20ih  of  May,  and  Sir  Peter  Pcj':er 
was  about  to  sail  with  the  land  forces,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  Clin- 
ton, for  the  reduction  of  Charleston,  the  capitol  of  South  Carolina,  and 
when  I  heard  of  his  defeat  in  Halifax,  it  gave  me  inexpressible  satisfaction. 
.  I  now  found  myself  under  a  worse  captain  than  Symonds ;  for  Mon- 
tague was  loaded  with  prejudices  against  every  body,  and  every  thing 

unable  to  retreat,  consented  to  capitulate,  and  the  17th  of  October,  surrendered  to  the 
American  General.  The  detachment  under  General  Vaughan  returned  to  New  York 
and  the  plan  of  the  British  commanders  was  totally  frustrated. 


4  ^ . 


•  r 


^te 


,1 


mmmmm 


tmm 


KMH 


mm 


wmmm 


mm 


NAtlRATIVB. 


m 


that  was  not  stamped  with  royally ;  and  being  by  nature  underwitted, 
his  wrath  was  heavier  than  the  others,  or  at  least  his  mind  was  in  no  in- 
stance-liable to  be  diverted  by  good  sense,  humor  or  bravery,  of  which 
Symonds  was  by  ttirns  susceptible.  A  Cap!.  Francis  Proctor  was  added 
to  our  number  of  prisoners  when  wc  were  first  put  on  boaad  this  ship. 
:This  gentleman  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  English  service.  The 
Captain,  and  in  fine,  all  the  gentlemen  of  the  ship,  were  very  much  in- 
censed^ against  him,  and  put  him  in  irons  without  the  least  provocation, 
ond  he  was  continued  in  this  miserable  situation  about  three  months.  In 
this -passage  the  prisoners  were  infected  with  the  scurvy  jme  more' and 
some  less,  but  most  of  them  severely.  The  ship's  crew  was  to  a  great 
degree  troubled  with  it,  and  I  concluded  that  it  was  matching.  Several  of 
the  crew  died  with  it  pn  their  passage.  I  was  weak  and  feeble  in  conse- 
quence of  so  long  and  cruel  captivity,  yet  had  but  little  of  the  scurvy. 

The  purser  was  again  expressly  forbid  by  the  captain  to  let  me  have  any 
thing  out  of  his  store  ;  upon  wiiich  I  went  upon  deck,  and  -in  the  hand- 
>aomest  manner  requested  the  favor  of  purchasing  a  few  necessaries  of 
the  purser,  which  was  denied  me  :  he  further  told  me,  that  I  should  be 
hanged  as  soon  as  I  arrived  at  Halifax.  I  tried  to  reason  the  matter 
with  him,  b.ut  found  him  proof  against  reason  ;  1  also  Itcld  up  his  honor 
to  view,  and  his  behavior  to  me  and  the  prisoners  in  general,  as  being 
derogatory  to  it,  but  found  his  honor  impenetrable.  I  then  endeavored 
to  touch  his  humanity,  but  found  he  had  none  ;  for  his  prepossession  of 
bigotry  to  his  own  party,  had  confirmed  him' in  an  opinion,  that  no  hu^ 
manity  was  due  to  unroyalists,  but  seemed  to  think  that  l)cavcn  and  earth 
were  made  merely  to  gratify  the  King  and  his  creatures  ;  he  uttered  con- 
siderable unintelligible  and  grovelling  ideas,  a  little  tinctured  with  mon- 
archy, bot  stood  well  to  his  text  of  hanging  me.  lie  afterwards  forbade 
his  surgeon  to  administer  any  help  to  the  sick  prisoners.  I  was  every 
night  shut  down  in  the  cable  tier,  with  the  rest  of  the  prisoners,  and  we 
all  lived  niiserablo  while  under  his  power.  But  I  received  some  generosi- 
ty from  several  of  the  midshipmen,  who  in  a  degree  alleviated  my  mise- 
ry ;  one  of  their  names  was  Potrnss,  the  names  of  the  others  I  do  not 
recollect;  but  they  were  obliged  to  he  private  in  the  bcstowment  of  their 
favor,  which  was  sometimes  good  wine  bitters,  and  at  others  a  generous 
drink  of  grog. 

Sometime  in  the  first  week  of  June,  we  came  to  anchor  nt  the  Ilook 
ofl'  New  York,  where  we  remained  but  three  days  ;  in  wiiich  time  gov- 
ernor Tryon,  Mr.  Kemp,  the  old  attorney  general  of  New  York,  and 
several  other  perfidious  and  over  grown  lories  and  land-jobbers,  came  on 
board.  Tryon  viewed  me  with  u  stern  countenance,  as  I  was  walking 
on  the  leeward  side  the  deck  with  the  midshipmen  ;  and  he  and  his 
companions  were  walking  with  the  captni.:  anc  lieutenant,  on  the 
windward  side  of  the  same,  but  never  spoke  to  me,  though  it  is  altogeth- 
er probable  that  he  thought  of  the  old  quarrel  between  him,  the  old  gov- 
ernment of  New  York,  and  the  Green  Mountain  Boys.  Then  they  went 
with  the  captain  into  the  cabin,  and  the  same  afternoon  returned  on  board 
a  vessel,  where  at  that  time  they  took  sanctuary  from  the  resentment  of 
their  injured  country.  What  passed  between  the  ofHcers  of  the  ship  and 
these  visitors  I  know  not  ;but  this  I  know  that  my  treatment  from  the 
fiicers  was  more  severe  afterwards. 


# 


•♦  ■ 


mmmm 


I.  i. 


W  -       ETBAK  ALLEB'f 

We  arrived  at  Halifax  not  far  from  the  middle  of  June,  where  th« 
thip's  crow,  which  was  infested  with  the  scurvy,  were  taken  on  shore, 
and  shallow  trenches  dug,  into  v/hich  they  were  put,  and  partly  covered 
with  earth.  Indeed  every  proper  measure  was  taken  for  their  relief. 
The  prisoners  were  not  permitled  any  sort  of  medicine,  but  were  put  on 
board  a  sloop  which  lay  in  the  harbor,  near  the  town  of  Halifax,  sur- 
rounded with  several  men  of  war  and  their  tenders,  and  a  guard  constant- 
ly Mt  over  them,  night  and  day.  The  sloop  we  had  wholly  to  ourselves 
except  the  guard  who  occupied  the  forecastle ;  here  we  were  cruelly 
pinched  with  hunger ;  it  seemed  to  me  that  we  had  not  more  than  one 
third  of  the  common  allowance.  We  were  all  seized  with  violent  hunger 
and  faintness ;  we  divided  our  scanty  allowance  as  exact  as  possible.  I 
•hared  the  same  fate  with  the  rest,  and  though  they  offered  me  more  than 
an  even  share,  I  refused  to  accept  it,  as  H'was  a  time  of  substantial 
distress,  which  in  my  opinion  I  ought  to  partake  equally  with  the  rest, 
and  set  an  example  of  virtue  and  fortitude  to  our  little  commonwealth. 

I  sent  letter  after  letter  to  captain  Montague,  who  still  had  the  care  of 
us,  andal  so  to  his  lieutenant,  whose  nantc  I  cannot  call  to  mind,  but  could 
obtain  no  answer,  much  less  a  redress  of  grievances  ;  and  to  add  to  the 
calamity,  near  a  dozen  of  the  prisoners  were  dangerously  ill  of  the  scur- 
vy. I  wrote  private  letters  to  the  ctoetors,  to  procure,  if  possible,  some 
remedy  for  the  sick,  but  in  vain.  The  chief  physician  came  by  in  a 
1>oat,  so  close  that  the  oars  touched  the  sloop  that  we  were  in,  and  I  ut- 
tered my  complaint  in  the  genteelest  monner  to  him,  but  he  never  so 
much  as  turned  his  head,  or  made  me  any  answer,  though  I  continued 
•peaking  till  he  got  out  of  hearing.  Our  cause  then  becan'.e  deplorable. 
Still  I  kept  writing  to  the  captain,  till  ho  ordered  the  guards,  us  they  told 
me,  not  to  bring  any  more  letters  from  me  to  him.  In  the  meantime  an 
event  happened  worth  relating.  One  of  the  men  almost  dead  with  the 
scurvy,  lay  by  the  side  of  the  sloop,  and  a  canoe  of  Indians  coming  by, 
he  purchased  two  quarts  of  strawberries,  and  ate  them  nt  once,  and  it 
almost  cured  him.  The  money  ho  gave  for  them  was  all  the  money  he 
had  in  the  world.  After  that  we  tried  every  way  to  procure  mote  of 
that  fruit,  reasoning  from  analogy  that  they  might  have  the  same  efllect 
on  others  infested  with  the  same  diseose,  but  could  obtain  none. 

Meanwhile  the  doctor's  mate  of  the  Mercury  came  privately  on  board 
the  prison  sloop  and  presented  me  with  a  large  vial  of  smart  drops,  which 
proved  to  be  good  for  the  scurvy,  though  vegetables  and  some  other  in- 
gredients were  requsite  for  a  cure  ;  but  the  drops  gave  at  least  a  check 
to  the  disease.  This  was  a  well-timed  exertion  of  humanity,  but  tlte 
doctor's  name  has  slipped  my  mind,  and  in  my  opinion,  it  was  the  means 
of  saving  the  lives  of  several  men. 

The  guard,  which  was  set  over  jus,  was  by  this  time  touched  with  the 
feelings  of  compassion  ;  nnd  I  finally  trusted  one  of  them  with  a  letter  of 
complaint  to  governor  Arbuthnot,  of  Halifax,  which  he  found  means  to 
communicate,  and  which  had  the  desired  effect ;  for  the  governor  sent 
an  oflicer  and  surgeon  on  board  the  prison  sloop,  to  know  the  truth  of 
the  complaint.  The  officer*s  name  was  Russell  who  held  the  rank  of 
licatenant/and  treated  me  in  a  friendly  and  polite  manner,  and  was  really 


r-r 


t 


.,-  ^■■ 


MinRATlTB. 

Angry  at  the  cruet  and  unmanly  usage  the  prisoners  met  with  ;  and  with 
the  suif;eon  made  a  true  report  of  matters  to  governor  Arbuthnot,  who, 
either  by  his  order  or  influence,  took  us  next  day  from  the  prisun  sloop  to 
Halifax  jail,  where  I  first  became  acquainted  with  the  now  Hon.  James 
Level,  one  of  the  members  of  Congress  for  the  state  of  Massachusetts. 
The  sick  were  taken  to  the  hospital,  and  the  Canadians,  wlio  were  effec- 
tive,were  employed  in  the  King's  works;  and  when  their  countrymen  were 
recovered  from  thescurvy  and  joined  them,  they  all  deserted  the  king's  em- 
ploy, and  were  not  heard  of  at  Halifax,  as  long  as  the  remainder  of  the 
prisoners  continued  there,  which  was  till  near  the  middle  of  October. 
We  were  on  board  the  prison  sloop  about  six  weeks,  and  were  landed  at 
Halifax  near  the  middle  of  August.  Several  ot  our  English-American 
prisoners,  who  were  cured  of  the  scurvy  at  the  hospital,  made  their  es- 
cape from  thence,  and  after  a  long  time  reached  their  old  habitations. 

I  had  now  but  thirteen  with  me,  of  those  who  were  taken  in  Canada, 
and  remained  in  jail  with  me  in  Halifax,  who,  in  addition  to  those  that 
were  imprisoned  before,  made  our  number  about  thirty-four,  who  were 
all  locked  up  in  one  common  large  .nom,  without  regard  to  rank,  educa- 
tion or  any  other  accomplishment,  where  we  continued  from  the  setting  to 
the  rising  sun,  ond,  as  sundry  of  them  were  infected  with  the  jnil  and 
other  distempers,  the  furniture  of  this  spacious  room  consisted  principal- 
ly of  excrement  tubs.  We  petitioned  for  a  removal  of  the  sick  into  the 
hospitals,  but  were  denied.  We  remonstrated  against  the  ungeneroua 
usage  of  being  confined  with  the  privates,  as  being  contrary  to  the  laws 
and  customs  of  nations,  ond  particularly  ungroteful  in  them  in  conse- 
quence of  the  gentleman-like  usage  which  the  Briiibh  imprisoned  officer* 
met  with  in  America  ;  and  thus  we  wearied  ourselves,  petitioning  and  re- 
monstrating, but  to  no  purpose  at  all ;  for  general  Massey,  who  com- 
manded at  Halifax,  was  r  i  inflexible  as  the  devil  himself,  a  fine  prepara* 
tive  this  for  Mr.  Lovel,  member  of  the  Continental  Congress. 

Lieutenant  Russell,  whom  I  have  mentioned  before,  came  to  visit  me 
in  prison,  and  assured  me  that  he  had  done  his  utmost  to  procure  my 
parole  for  enlargement ;  at  which  a  British  captain,  who  was  then  town* 
mojor,  expressed  couipassion  for  the  gentlemen  confined  in  the  filthy 
place,  and  assured  me  that  he  had  used  his  influence  to  procure  their  en- 
largement ;  his  name  was  near  like  Ramsey.  Among  the  prisoners  there 
were  five  in  number,  who  had  a  legal  claim  to  a  parole,  viz.  James  Lev- 
el, Esq.,  captain  Francis  Proctor,  a  Mr.  Howland,  master  of  a  continen- 
tal armed  vessel,  a  Mr.  Taylor,  his  mate,  and  myself. 

As  to  the  article  of  provision,  we  were  well  served,  much  better  than 
in  any  part  of  my  captivity ;  and  since  it  was  Mr.  Lovel's  misfortunes 
and  mine  to  be  prisoners,  and  in  so  wretched  circumstances,  I  was  happy 
that  we  were  together  as  a  mutual  support  to  each  other,  and  to  the  un- 
fortunate prisoners  with  us.  Our  first  attention  was  the  preservation  of 
ourselves  and  injured  little  republic;  the  rest  of  our  time  we  devoted  in- 
terchangeably to  politics  and  philosophy,  as  patience  was  a  needful  ex- 
ercise in  so  evil  a  situation,  but  contentment  mean  and  impracticable. 

I  had  not  been  in  this  jail  many  days,  before  a  worthy  and  charitable 
woman,  by  the  name  of  Mrs.  Blacden,  supplied  me  with  a  good  dinner 


»■' 


U 


i 


f'i 


i 


mTII/X!     ly.Hii!' 


30 


VtnXK  ALLEN  S 


I- 


of  fresh  meats  every  day,  with  garden  fruit,  and  ■bmetimes  whh  a  bottle 
of  wine :  notwithstanding  which  I  had  not  been  more  than  three  weeks 
in  this  place  before  I  lost  all  nppeiiie  to  the  most  delicious  food,  by  the 
jail  distemper,  as  also  did  sundry  of  the  prisoners,  particularly  a  sergeant 
Moore,  a  man  of  conrage  and  fidelity.  I  have  several  times  seen  him  hold 
the  boatswain  of  the  Sol^bay  frigate,  when  he  attempted  to  strike  him, 
and  laughed  him  out  of  conceit  of  using  him  as  a  slave. 

A  doctor  visited  the  sivk,  and  did  the  best,  as  I  suppose,  he  could  for 
them,  to  no  apparent  purpose.  I  grew  weaker  and  weaker,  as  did  the 
rest.  Several  of  them  could  riul  !ieip  themselves.  At  last  I  reasoned 
in  my  own  mind,  that  raw  onion  would  be  good.  I  made  une  of  it,  «nd 
found  immediate  relief  by  it,  as  did  the  sick  in  general,  particularly  ser- 
geant Moore,  whom  it  recovered  almost  from  the  shades ;  though  I  had 
met  with  a  little  revival,  still  I  found  the  malignant  .land  of  Britain  had 
greatly  reduced  my  constitution  with  stroke  upon  stroke.  Esquire  Lovr 
el  and  myself  used  every  argument  and  entreaty  that  could  be  well  con- 
ceived of  in  order  to  obtain  gentleman-like  usage,  to  no  purpose.  I  then 
wrote  Gen.  Masscy  ns  severe  a  letter  as  I  poraibly  could  with  my  friend 
Lovel's  assistance..  The  contents  of  it  was  to  give  the  British,  as  a  na- 
tion, and  him  as  an  individual,  their  true  character.  This  roused  the 
Mscal,  for  he  could  notjbear  to  see  his  and  the  nation's  deformity  in  that 
transparent  letter,  which  I  sent  him ;  he  therefore  put  himself  in  a  great 
rage  about  it,  and  showed  the  letter  to  a  number  of  British  officers,  par- 
ticularly to  captain  Smith  of  the  Lark  frigate,  who,  instead  of  joining 
with  him  in  disapprobation,  commci^ded  the  spirit  of  it'>;  upon  which 
f^eneral  Massey  said  to  him  do  you  ta'ie  the  part  of  a  rebel  against  me  ? 
Captain  Smith  answered  that  he  rather  spoke  his  sentiments,  nnd  there 
was  a  dissention  in  opinion  between  tl^em.  Some  officers  took  the  part 
of  the  general,  and  others  of  the  captiin.  This  I  was  informed  of  by 
a  gentleman  who  had  it  from  captain  Smith. 

lo  a  few  days  after  this,  the  prisoners  were  ordered  to  go  on  board 
of  a  man  of  war,  which  was  bound  for  New  York  ;  but  two  of  them 
were  not  able  to  go  ^on  board,  nnd  were  left  at  Halifax  ;  one  died  ;  and 
the  other  recovered.  This  was  about  the  12th  of  October,  and  soon  af- 
ter we  had  got  on  board,  the  captain  sent  for  me  in  particular  to  come 
on  the  quarter  deck.  I  went,  not  knowing  that  it  was  captain  Smith,  or 
his  ship,  at  that  time,  and  expected  to  meet  the  same  rigorous  usage  I 
had  commonly  met  with,  and  prepared  my  mind  accordingly  ;  but  when 
I  came  on  deck^  the  captain  met  me  with  his  hand,  welcomed  me  to  his 
•hip,  invited  me  to  dine  with  him  that  day,  and  ossurod  me  that  I  should 
be  treated  as  a  gentleman,  and  that  he  had  given  orders,  that  I  shorld  be 
treated  with  respect  by  the  ship's  crew.  This  was  so  unexpected  and 
sudden  a  transition,  that  it  drew  tears  from  my  eyes,  which  all  the  ill 
usage  I  had  before  met  with,  was  not  able  to  produce,  nor  could  I  at 
first  hardly  speak,  but  soon  recovered  myself  and  expressed  my  gratitude 
for  so  unexpected  a  favor ;  and  let  him  know  that  I  felt  anxiety  of  mind 
in  reflecting  that  his  situation  and  mine  was  such,  that  it  was  not  proba- 
ble that  it  would  ever  be  in  my  power  to  return  the  favor.  Captain 
Smith  replied,  that  he  had  no  reward  in  view,  but  only  treated  me  as  n 
gsntleman  ought  to  be  treated ;  he  said  tliis  is  a  mutable  worJd,  and  one 


mmm 


wm 


mt 


I 
MARaATirc.  $i 

gftntlettian  tiev6r  knonri  but  it  may  be  in  his  power  to  help  another. 
Soon  after  I  found  this  to  be  the  same  captain  Smith  who  took  my  part 
against  general  MaHey  ;  but  he  never  mentioned  anything  of  it  to  me, 
and  I  thought  it  impolite  in  me  to  interrogate  him,as  to  any  disputes  which 
might  have  arisen  between  him  and  the  general  on  my  account,  as  I  was 
a  prisoner,  and  that  it  was  at  his  option  to  make  free  with  me  on  that 
subject,  if  he  pleased ;  and  if  he  did  not,  I  might  take  it  for  granted 
that  it  would  be  unpleasing  for  me  to  query  about  it,  though  I  had  a 
strong  propensity  to  converse  with  him  on  that  subject. 

I  dined  with  the  caplain  agreeable  to  iiis  invitation,  and  oftentimes 
with  the  lieutenant,  in  the  gun-room,  but  in  general  ate  and  drank  with 
my  friend  Lovvl  and  the  other  gentlemen  who  were  prisoners  with  me, 
where  I  also  slept. 

We  had  a  little  berth  enclosed  with  canvass,  between  decks,  where  we 
enjoyed  ourselves  very  well,  in  hopes  of  an  exchange  ;  besides,  our  friends 
at  ilaliiaz  had  a  little  notice  of  our  departure,  and  supplied  us  with  spir- 
ituous liquor,  and  ntany  articles  of  provision  for  the  cost.  Captain  Burk, 
having  been  taken  prisoner,  was  added  to  our  ctMnpany,  (he  bad  com- 
manded an  American  armed  vessel)  and  was  generously  treated  by  the 
captain  and  all  the  officers  of  the  ship^  as  well  as  myself.  We  now  had 
in  all  near  thirty  prisoners  on  boord,  and  as  we  were  sailing  along  the 
coast,  if  I  recollect  right,  off  Rhode  Island^  captain  Burk,  with  an  under 
officer  o!  the  ship,  whose  name  I  do  not  recollect,  came  to  oyr  little 
berth,  proposed  to  kill  captain  Smith  and  the  principal  officers  of  the 
frigate  and  take  it ;  adding  that  there  were  thirty-five  thousand  pounds 
sterling  in  the  same.  Captain  Burk  likewise  averred  that  a  strong  party 
out  of  the  ship's  crew  was  in  the  conspiracy,  and  urged  me,  and  the 
gentleman  that  was  with  me,  to  use  our  influence  with  the  private  pris- 
oners, to  eiecute  the  design,  and  take  the  ship  with  the  cash  into  one  of 
our  own  ports.  ' 

Upon  which  I  reptied,that  we  hod  been  too  well  used  on  board  to  mur- 
der the  officers ;  that  I  could  by  no  means  reconcile  it  to  my  conscience, 
and  that,  in  fact,  it  should  not  be  done ;  and  while  I  was  yet  speaking, 
my  friend  Lovel  confirmed  what  I  had  said,  and  further  pointed  out  the 
ungratefulness  of  such  an  act ;  that  it  did  not  fall  short  of  murder,  and 
in  fine  all  the  gentlemen  in  the  berth  opposed  captain  Burk  and  his  col- 
league. But  they  strenuously  urged  that  the  conspiracy  would  be  found 
out,  and  that  it  would  cost  them  their  lives,  provided  they  did  not  exe- 
cute their  design.  I  then  interposed  spiritedly,  and  put  an  end  to  fur- 
ther argument  on  the  subject,  and  told  them  that  they  might  depend  up- 
on it,  upon  my  honor,  that  I  would  faithfully  guard  captain  Smith's  life. 
If  they  should  attempt  the  assault,  1  would  assist  him,  for  they  desired 
me  to  remain  neuter,  and  that  the  same  honor  that  guarded  captain 
Smith's  life,  would.also  guard  theirs ;  and  it  was  ogreed  by  those  present 
noi  to  reveal  the  conspiracy,  to  the  intent  that  no  man  should  be  put  to 
death,  in  consequence  of  what  had  been  projected ;  and  captain  Burk 
ond  his  colleague  went  to  stifle  the  matter  among  their  associates.  I 
could  not  help  calling  to  mind  what  captain  Smith  said  to  mo,  when 
I  first  came  on  board :  "  This  is  a  mutable  world,  and  one  gentlemen 


i 


: 

1 


ipp 


^mni 


"^liiiPffiiP 


H 


ETHAH   ALLtH'i 


■f  i 


never  knowt  but  that  it  may  be  in  hii  power  to  hetp  Mother."  Captain 
8miih  and  tiis  ofHcers  slill  bvlmved  with  their  utual  courteaf,  and  1  neV* 
ec  heard  any  more  nf  the  conapiracy. 

We  aitived  before  New  York,  and  caal  anchor  tha  latter  part  of  Oc 
tober,  where  we  remained  aeveral  days,  and  where  captain  Smith  inform- 
ed me,  ^hftt  he  had  recommended  mo  to  admiral  Howe  and  general 
Sir  Wm.  Howe,  as  a  gentleman  of  honor  and  veracity,  and  desired  that 
I  might.be  treated  as  such.  Captain  Burk  was  then  ordered  on  board 
a  prison-ship  in  the  harbor.  I  took  my  leave  of  captain  Smith,  and  with 
the  otiier  prisoners,  was  sent  on  board  a  transpart  ship,  which  lay  in  the 
harbor,  commanded  by  captain  Craige  who  took  me  into  the  cabin  with 
him  and  his  lieutenant.  I  fared  as  they  did,  and  was  in  every  respect 
well  treated,  in  consequence  of  directions  from  captain  Smith.  In  a  few 
Weeks  after  this  I  had  the  happiness  to  part  with  my  friepd  Level,  for 
his  sake,  whom  the  enemy  afl^eted  to  treat  as  a  private ;  he  was  a  gen* 
tienien  of  merit,  and  liberally  educated,  but  had  no  commission;  they 
maligned  him  on  account  of  his  unshaken  nttaehment  to  the  cause  of 
his  country.  He  was  exchanged  for  a  governor  Phillip  Skene  of  the 
British.  I  was  continued  in  this  ship  till  the  latt^  part  of  November, 
where  I  contracted  an  aequaintanee  with  the  captain  of  the  British  ;  hia 
name  has  slipped  my  memory.  He  was  what  we  may  call  a  genteel, 
hearty  fellow.  I  remember  an  expression  of  his  over  a  bottle  of  wine,  to 
this  import:  "That  there  is  a  greatness  of  soul  for  personal  friendship 
to  subsist  between  you  and  mc,  as  we  are  upon  opposite  sides,  and  may 
at  another  day  be  obliged  to  lace  each  otiier  in  the  field."  I  am  eonA- 
^tit  that  he  was  as  foithful  as  any  officer  in  the  British  army.  At  an- 
other sittii^  he  ofl^red  to  bet  a  dozen  of  wine,  that  fort  Washington 
would  be  in  the  hands  of  the  British  in  three  diiys.  I  stood  the  bet>  and 
ivoald,  had  I  known,  that  that  would  have  been  the  case ;  and  the  third 
fday  afterwards  we  heard  a  heavy  cannonade,  and  that  day  the  fort  waa 
taken  sure  enough.  Some  m^mlhs  after,  wlien  I  was  on  par^e,  be  call- 
ed upon  me  with  hii  usual  humor,  and  mentioned  the  bet.  I  acknowl* 
edged  I  had  lost  it,  but  he  said  he  did  not  mean  to  take  it  then,  as  I  was 
a  prisoner ;  tirat  he  would- another  day  call  on  mo,  when  their  army  came 
to  Bennington.  I  replied,  that  he^ivas  quite  too  generoos,  as  I  bad  fairly 
lost  it ;  besides,  the  Qreen-Mountain-Boys  would  not  suffer  them  to  come 
fo  Bennington.  This  was  all  in  good  humor.  I  shonid  have  been  gfaid 
to  have  seen  him  after  the  defeat  at  Bennington,  but  did  not.  It  was 
customary  for  a  guard  to 'attend  the  prisoners,  which  was  often  ehanged. 
Qne  was  composed  of  tories  from  Connecticut,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fair- 
field and  Green  Farms.  The  sergeant's  name  was  Hoit.  They  were 
very  full  of  their  invectives  against  the  country,  swaggered  of  their  loyal- 
ty to  the  king,  and  exclaimed  bitterly  against  the  **  cowardly  yankees," 
as  they  were  pleased  to  term  them,  but  finaHy  contented  themselves  with 
raying,  that  when  the  country  was  overcome,  they  should  be  well  award- 
ed for  tiieir  loyally  out  of  the  estates  of  the  whigs,  which  would  be  con- 
fiscated. This  I  found  to  be  the  general  language  of  the  tories,  after  t 
arrived  from  England  on  the  American  coast.  I  heard  sundry  of  them 
relate  that  the  British  generals  had  engaged  them  an  ample  reward  for 


■Mi 


mmmmmm 


mmmmmmm 


NARRATIVE. 


33 


,,      ^ 


their  losses,  disappointments  and  expenditures,  out  of  the  forfeited  reb- 
els' estates.  .  This  language  early  taught  me  what  to  do  with  tones'  es- 
tates, as  far  as  my  influence  can  go.  Fur  it  is  really  a  game  of  hazard 
between  whig  and  tory.  The  whigs  must  inevitably  have  lost  all,  in 
consequence  of  the  abilities  of  the  tories,  and  their  good  friends  the  Brit- 
ish ;  and  it  is  no  more  than  right  the  tories  should  run  the  same  risk,  in 
consequence  of  the  abilities  of  the  whigs.  But  of  this  more  will  be  ob- 
served in  the  sequel  of  this  narrative. 

Some  of  the  last  days  of  November,  the  prisoners  were  landed  at 
New  York,  and  I  was  admitted  to  parole  with  the  other  officers,  viz: 
Proclor,  Howlandand  Taylor.  The  privates  were  put  into  filthy  church- 
es in  New  York,  with  the  distressed  prisoners  that  were  taken  at  Fort 
Washington  ;  and  the  second  night,  sergeant  Roger  Moore,  who  was 
bold  and  enterprising,  found  means  to  make  his  escape  with  every  of  the 
remaining  prisoners  that  were  taken  with  me,  except  three,  who  were 
soon  after  exchanged.  So  that  out  of  thirty-one  prisoners,  who  went 
with  me,  the  round  exhibited  in  these  sheets,  two  only  died  with  the  ene- 
my ,andihree  only  were  exchanged  ;  one  of  whom  died  after  he  came  with- 
in our  lines ;  ail  the  rest,  at  diiTerent  times,  made  their  escape  from  the 
enemy. 

I  now  found  myself  on  parole,  and  restricted  to  the  limits  of  the  city 
of  New  York,  where  I  soon  projected  means  to  live  in  some  measure 
agreeably  to  my  rank,  though  I  was  destitute  of  cash.  My  constitution 
was  almost  worn  out  by  such  a  long  and  barbarous  captivity.  The  ene- 
my gave  out  that  I  was  crazy,  and  wholly  unmanned,  but  my  vitals  held 
sound,  nor  wus  I  delirious  any  more  than  I  had  been  from  youth  up;  but 
my  extreme  circumstances,  at  certain  limes,  rendered  it  politic  to  act  in 
some  measure  the  madman  ;  and  in  consequence  of  a  regular  diet  and 
exercise,  my  blood  recruited,  and  my  nerves  in  a  great  measure  recover- 
ed their  former  tone,  strength  and  usefulness,  in  the  course  of  six  months. 

I  next  invite  the  reader  to  a   retrospective  sight  and  consideration  of 
the  doleful  scene  of  inhumanity,  exercised  by  general  Sir  William  Howe, 
and  the  aru)y  under  his  command,  towards  the  prisoners  taken  on  Long- 
Island,  on  the  27th  day  of  Aug.  1776;  sundry  of  whom  were,  in  an  in- 
human and  barbarous  manner,  murdered  after  they  had  surrendered  their 
arms  ;    particularly  a  general  Odel,  or  Wondhull,   of  the  militia,  who 
was  hacked  to  pieces  with  cutlasses,  when  alive,  by  the  light  horsemen, 
and  a  captain  Fellows,  of  the  continental  army,  who  was  thrust  through 
with  a  bayonet,  of  which  wound  he  died  instantly.     Sundry  others  were 
hanged  up  by  the  neck  till  they  were  dead;  five  on  the  limb  of  a  white  ook 
tree,  and  without  any  reason  assigned,  except  that  they  were  fighting  in 
4lefence  of  the  only  blessing  woith  preserving.     And  indeed  those  who 
had  the  misfortune  to  fall  into  their  hands  at  Fort  Washington,  in  the 
month  of  November  following,  met  with   but  very  little  belter  usage, 
except  that  they  were  reserved  from  immediate  death  to  famish  and  die 
with  hunger ;  in  fine  the  word  rebel,  applied  to  any  vanquished  persons, 
without  regard  to  rank,  who  were  in  the  continental  service,  on  the  27th 
of  August  aforesaid,  was  thought,  by  the  enemy,  sufficient  to  sanctify 
whatever  cruelties  they  were  pleased  to  inflict,  death  itself  not  excepted  ; 
5 


-*:, 


■? 


'm 


34 


ETHAN    ALLEN  S 


but  to  pass  over  particulars  which  would  swell  my  iiarralivo  far  be)H)n(I 
my  design. 

The  private  soldiers,  who  wore  brought  to  New-York,  were  crowded 
into  churches, ?nnd   environed  with  slavish  Hessian  guards,  a  people  of 
a  strange  language,  who  were  sent  to   America  for  no  other  design  but 
cruelty  and  desolation  ;  and  at  others,  by  merciless  Britons  whose  mode 
of  communicating  ideas  being  intilligible  in  this  country,  served  only  to 
tantalize  and  insult  the  helpless  and  perishing  ;  but  above  all,  the  hell- 
ish delight  and  triumph  of  the  tories  over  then),  as  they  were  dying  by 
hundreds.     This  was  too  much  for  me  to  bear  as  a  spectator;  for  I  saw 
the  tories  exulting  over  the  dead  bodies  of  their  murdered  countrymen. 
I  have  gone  into  the  churches,  and  seen  sundry  of  the  prisoners  in  the 
agonies  of  death,  in  consequence  of  very  hunger,  and  others  speechless, 
and  »ery  near  death,  biting  pieces  of  chips ;  others  pleading  for  God's 
sake,  for  sometliing  to  eat,  and  at  the  same  time,  shivering  with  the  cold. 
Hollow  groans  saluted  my  ears,  and  despair  seemed  ta  be  imprinted  on 
every  of  their  countenances.     The   filth  in  these  churches,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  fluxes,  was  almost  beyond  descrij)lion.     The  floors  were 
covered  with  excrements.     I  have  carefully  sought  to  direct  my  steps  so 
as  to  avoid  it,  but  could  not.     They  would  beg  for  God's  sake  for  one 
copper,  or  morsel  of  bread.     I  have  seen  in  one  of  these  churches  sev- 
en dead,  at  the  same  time,  lying  among  the  excrements  of  their  bodies. 
It  was  a  common  practice  with  the  enemy,  to  convey  the  dead  from 
these  filthy  places,  in  carts,  to  be  slightly  buried,  and  I  have  seen  whole 
gangs  of  tories  making  derision,  and  exulting  over  the  dead,  saying, 
there  goes  another  load  of  damned  rebels.     I  have  observed  the  British 
soldiers  to  be  full  of  their  black-guard  jokes,  and  vaunting  on  those  oc- 
casions, but  they  appeared  to  mc  less  malignant  than  tories. 

The  provision  dealt  out  to  the  prisoners  was  by  no  means  sufficient 
for  the  support  of  life.  It  was  deficient  in  quantity,  and  much  more  so 
in  quality.  The  prisoners  often  presented  mc  with  a  sample  of  their 
bread,  which  I  certify  was  damaged  to  that  degree,  that  it  was  loath- 
some and  unfit  to  be  eaten,  and  I  am  bold  to  aver  it,  as  my  opinion,  that 
it  had  been  condemned,  and  of  the  very  worst  sort.  I  have  seen  and 
been  fed  upon  damaged  bread,  in  the  course  oi  my  captivity,  and  ob- 
served the  quality  of  such  bread  as  has  been  condemned  by  the  enemy, 
among  which  was  very  little  so  effectually  spoiled  as  what  was  dealt  out 
to  these  prisoners.  Their  allowance  of  meal  (as  they  told  me)  was  quite 
trifling,and  was  of  the  basest  sort.  I  never  saw  any  of  it,but  was  inform- 
ed, that  bad  as  it  was,  it  was  swallowed  almost  as  quick  as  they  got  hold 
of  it.  I  saw  some  of  them  sucking  bones  after  they  were  speechless ; 
others,  who  could  yet  speak,  and  had  the  use  of  their  reason,  urged  me, 
in  the  strongest  and  most  pathetic  manner,  to  use  my  interest  in  their 
behalf ;  for  you  plainly  see,  said  they,  that  we  are  devoted  to  death  and 
destruction  ;  and  after  I  had  examined  more  particularly  into  their  truly 
deplorable  condition,  and  had  become  more  fully  apprized  of  the  essen- 
tial facts,  I  was  persuaded  that  it  was  a  premeditated  and  systematical 
plan  of  the  British  council,  to  destroy  the  youths  of  our  land,  with  a 
view  thereby  to  deter  the  country,  and  make  it  submit  to  their  despotism ; 


NAURATIVE. 


35 


but  that  I  could  not  do  them  any  material  service,  and  that,  by  any  pub« 
lie  attempt  for  that  purpose,  I  might  endanger  myself  by  frequenting 
places  the  most  nauseous  and  contageous  that  could  he  conceived  of.  I 
refrained  going  into  churches,  but  frequently  conversed  with  such  of  the 
prisoners  as  were  admitted  to  come  out  into  the  yard,  and  found  that  the 
systematical  usage  still  continued.  The  guard  would  often  drive  me 
away  witli  their  fixed  bayonets.  A  Hessian  one  day  followed  me  five 
or  six  rods,  but  by  making  use  of  my  legs,  I  got  rid  of  the  lubber.  Some 
times  I  could  obtain  a  little  conversation,  notwithstanding  their  severities. 
I  was  in  one  of  the  church  yards,  and  it  was  rumored  among  those  in 
the  church,  and  sundry  of  the  prisoners  came  with  their  ueual  complaints 
to  me, and  among  the  rest  a  large  boned,  tall  young  man,  as  he  told  me, 
from  Pennsylvania,  who  was  reduced  to  a  mere  skeleton  ;  he  said  he 
was  glad  to  ■"'e  me  before  he  died,  whicli  he  expected  to  have  done  lust 
night,  L.ut  was  a  litile  revived  ;  lie  furthermore  informed  me,  that  he  and 
his  jrother  had  betn  urged  to  enlist  into  the  British,  but  both  had  resol- 
ve<t  to  die  first ;  that  his  brother  liad  died  last  night,  in  conseqticnce  of 
that  resolution,  and  that  he  expected  shortly  to  follow  him  ;  but  I  made 
the  other  prisoners  stand  a  little  oif,  and  told  him  with  a  low  voice  to  en- 
list ;  he  then  asked,  whether  it  was  rigljtin  the  sight  of  God  !  I  assured 
him  that  it  was,  and  that  duty  to  himself  obliged  him  to  deceive  the  Brit- 
ish by  enlisting  and  deserting  the  first  opportunity  ;  upon  which  he  an- 
swered with  transport  that  he  would  enlist.  I  charged  him  not  to  men- 
tion my  name  as  his  adviser,  lest  it  siioiild  get  air,  and  1  should  be  close- 
ly confined,  in  consequence  of  it.  "  TIjo  integrity  of  the  siiilering  prison- 
ers is  hardly  credibly.  Many  hundred?,  I  am  confident,  submitted  to 
death,  rather  than  to  enlist  in  the  British  service,  wliich,  I  am  informed, 
they  most  generally  were  pressed  to  do.  f  was  astonished  at  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  two  brothers  particularly;  it  seems  that  they  could  not  be 
stimulated  to  such  exertions  of  heroism  from  ambition,  as  tliey  were  but 
obscure  soldiers  ;  strong  indeed  must  the  internal  principle  of  \nrtue  be, 
which  supported  them  to  brave  death,  and  one  of  tliem  went  through 
the  operation,  as  did  many  hundred  others.  I  readily  grant  that  instan- 
ces of  public  virtue  are  no  excitement  to  the  sor'iid  and  vicious,  nor,  on 
the  other  ha;id,  with  all  the  barbarity  of  Brilian  and  Heshland  awak- 
en them  to  a  sense  of  their  duty  to  the  public  ;  but  these  things  will 
have  their  proper  elTect  on  the  generous  and  brave.  T!>e  officers  on 
parole  were  most  of  them  zciilous,  if  possible,  to  afford  the  miserable 
soldiery  relief,  and  often  consulted  with  one  and  another  on  the  subject, 
but  to  no  effect,  being  destitute  of  the  moans  of  subsistence,  which  they 
needed  ;  nor  could  the  officers  project  any  measure,  which  they  flvought 
would  alter  their  fate,  or  so  much  as  be  a  means  of  getting  them  out  of 
those  filthy  places  to  the  privilege  of  fresli  air.  Some  projected  that  all 
the  oflicers  should  go  in  procession  to  general  Howe,  and  plead  the  cause 
of  the  perishing  soldiers  ;  but  this  proposal  was  negatived  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons,  viz  :  because  that  general  Howe,  must  needs  be  well  acquain- 
ted, and  have  a  thorougli  knowledge  of  the  state  and  condition  of  the 
prisoners  in  every  of  their  wretched  apartments,  and  that  much  more 
particular  and  exact  than  any  officer  on  parole  could  be  supposed  to 


p^^ 


"ff5^r?''*" 


^W^^^^fF^^lf'^^^^^^W^ 


36 


ETHAN  Allen's 


have,  p?  the  general  had  a  return  of  the  circumstances  of  the  prisoners^ 
by  his  own  officers,  every  morning,  of  the  number  which  were  alive,  as 
also  the  number  which  died  every  twenty-iour  hours ;  and  consequently 
the  bill  of  mortality,  as  collecteri  from  the  daily  returns,  lay  before  him 
with  all  the  material  situalior.  i  and  circumstances  of  the  prisoners  ,  and 
provided  the  officers  should  go  in  procession  to  general  Howe,  accord- 
ing to  the  projection,  it  would  ^\vs  him  the  greatest  aflfront,  and  that  he 
would  either  retort  upon  them,  that  it  was  no  part  of  their  parole  to 
instruct  him  in  his  conduct  to  prisoners ;  that  they  were  mutining  against 
his  authority,  and  by  affronting  hin:,  had  forfeited  their  parole ;  or  that, 
more  probablv,  instead  of  saying  one  wor''  'o  them,  would  order  them 
all  into  as  wretched  confinement  ai.  \he  soldiers  whom  they  sought  to 
relieve ;  for,  at  that  time,  the  British,  from  the  general  to  the  private 
sentinel,  were  in  full  coniidence,  nor  did  they  so  much  fs  hesitate,  but 
that  they  should  conquer  t*^e  country.     Thus  the  consulta»'-n  of  the  offi- 
cers was  confoundeu  and  broken  to  pieces,  in  consequence  of  the  dread, 
which  at  that  time  lay  on  their  minds,  of  offending  Gen.  Howe  ;  for  they 
conceived  so  murderous  '.  tyrant  would  not  be  too  good  to  destroy  even 
the  officers,  on  the  least  pretence  of  an  affront,  as  they  were  equally  in 
his  power  i.'ith  the  poldiers ;  and,  as  Gen.  Howe  perfectly  understood  the 
condition  of  the  private  soldiers,  it  was  argued  that  it  wa«  excoily  such 
as  he  and  his  council  had  devised,  and  as  he  meant  to  destroy  them  it 
would  be  to  no  purpose  for  thm  .o  try  to  dissuade  him  from  it,  as  they 
were  helpless  and  liable  to  the  some  fate,  on  giving  the  least  affront;  in- 
deed anxious  apprehensions  disturbed   ihern  in  their  then  circumstances. 

Mean  time  mortality  rnged  to  such  an  intolerable  degree^among  the 
prisoners,  that  the  very  school  boys  in  the  streets  knew  tine  mentf:i  design 
of  it  in  some  hieasure ;  at  least,  they  knew  that  they  were  staivcd  to 
death.  Some  poor  women  contributed  to  their  necessity,  till  their  child- 
ren w^re  almost  starved,  and  nil  persons  of  common  understanding  knew 
that  they  were  devoted  to  the  crnelest  and  worst  of  deaths.  It  was  also 
proposed  hy  some  to  make  a  writtrn  representation  of  tlie  condition  of 
the  soldiery,  arid  the  officers  to  sign  it,  and  that  it  should  he  corched  iii 
such  terms,  as  though  they  were  aiA)rehensive  that  the  General  was  im- 
posed upon  by  his  officers,  in  their'daily  returns  to  him  of  tlie  state  and 
conditirn  of  the  prisoners  ;  i.nd  that  therefore  the  o'^cerS;  moved  with 
compassion,  were  constrained  to  <:ommunicate  to  him  the  fucts  relati'  a 
to  them,  nothing  doubling  but  tliat  they  would  meet  rtiih  a  speedy  re- 
dress; but  this  proposal  was  most  generally  negatived  tilso,' and  for 
much  the  same  reason  offereii  in  the  other  case  ;  Tor  it  was  conjectured 
that  Gen.  Howe's  indignatioii  would  be  moved  against  such  offii.ers  as 
should  attempt  to  whip  hini  over  hid  officers'  backs ;  that  he  would  dib- 
cern  that  hi.nself  was  really  struck  at,  and  not  the  ottit'^ra  who  made 
the  daily  returns ;  and  therefore  sclf-preservotion  deterred  'he  officers 
from  either  petitioning  or  remonstrating  to  Gen.  Howe,  eit.ier  vc-bally 
or  in  writing;  as  also  the  consideration  that  no  valuable  purpose  to  the 
distressed  would  be  obtained. 

1  <?^ade  several  rough  drafts  on  the  subject,  one  of  which  I  exhibited 
to  the  v;olonels  Magaw,  Miles  and  Atlee,  and  they  said  that  thev  «vould 


.-j...ijji.-i.V-, 


NAURATlVii'. 


37 


consider  the  matter;  soon  after  I  called  on  them,  and  some  of  the  gen- 
tlemen informed  me  Vat  they  had  written  to  the  general  on  ihe  subject, 
and  I  concluded  ih^t  the  gentleman  thought  it  bfst  that  they  should 
write  without  ri:e,  as  ti-eie  was  such  spirited  aversion  sub  istiiig  between 
the  British  and  Me. 

In  the  mean  time  a  colonel  Hussecker,  of  the  continental  army,  us  he 
then  reported,  was  taken  prisoner,  and  brought  to  New- York,  who  gave 
out  that  the  country  was  almost  universally  submitting  to  tlie  English 
king's  authority,  and  that  there  would  be  little  or  no  more  opposition  to 
Great-Britain.  This  at  first  gave  the  officers  a  little  shock,  but  in  a  few 
days  they  recovered  themselves;  for  this  colonel  Hussecker,  being  a 
German,  was  feasting  with  general  De  Heister,  his  countryman,  and 
from  his  conduct  they  were  apprehensive  that  he  was  a  knave  ;  at  least 
he  was  esteemed  so  by  most  of  the  officers ;  it  was  nevertheless  a  day  of 
trouble.  The  enemy  blasphemed.  Our  little  amy  was  retreating  in 
New-Jersey,  and  our  young  men  murdered  by  hundreds  in  New-York. 
The  army  of  Britain  .-  j  Heshland  prevailed  for  a  little  season,  as  though 
it  was  ordered  by  Heaven  to  shew,  to  the  latest  posterity,  what  the  Brit- 
ish would  have  done  if  they  could,  and  what  the  general  calamity  must 
have  been,  in  c  ;nsequence  of  their  conquering  the  country,  and  to  excite 
every  honest  man  to  stand  forth  in  the  defence  of  liberty,  and  to  establish 
the  independency  of  t*ie  United  States  of  America  forever.  But  this 
scene  of  adverse  fortune  did  not  discourage  a  Washington.  The  illus- 
trious American  hero  remained  immoveable.  In  liberty's,  cause  he  took 
up  his  sword.  This  reflection  was  his  support  and  consolation  in  the 
day  of  his  humiliation,  when  he  retreated  before  the  enemy,  through 
New-Jersey  into  Pennsylvania.  Their  triumph  only  roused  liis  indigna- 
tion ;  and  the  important  cause  of  his  country,  which  lay  near  his  heart, 
moved  him  to  cross  ;he  Delaware  again,  and  take  ample  satisfaction  on 
his  pursuers.  No  sooner  had  he  circumvallated  his  haughty  foes,  and 
appeired  in  terrible  array,  but  the  host  of  Heshland  fell.  This  taught 
America  the  intrinsic  worth  of  perseverance,  and  the  generous  sons  of 
freedom  flew  to  the  standard  of  their  common  safeguard  and  defence ; 
from  which  time  the  arm  of  American  liberty  hath  prevailod.* 

This  surprise  and  capture  of  the  Hessians  enraged  the  enemy,  who 
we;&  siill  vastly  more  numerous   than   the  coniinental   troops.     They 


4 


■ 


*  The  American  army  being  greatly  reduced  by  the  loss  of  men  tnkcn  prisoners, 
and  by  the  departure  ol  men  whose  inhs'mr'ijts  had  expired,  General  A\ashington 
war  obliged  to  retreat  towards  Philadelphia;  General  iiovve.  exulting  "n  his  suc- 
cesses, pursued  him,  notwithstanding  the  weather  was  severely  roltl.  To  add  to 
th»  disasters  of  the  Americans,  General  Lee  was  surprised  and  taken  prisoner  at 
Baskenridge.  In  this  gloomy  state  of  affairs,  many  persons  joined  the  British  cause 
and  took  protection.  But  a  small  band  of  heroes  checked  the  tide  of  British  suc- 
ces.  A  divisions  of  Hessians  had  advanced  to  Trenton,  wliere  they  reposed  ir  «.<.  • 
curity.  General  Washington  wns  on  liie  opposite  side  of  the  Delaware,  wilh  at  JUt 
three  thousand  men,  many  of  whom  were  wi'hout  shoes  or  convenient  clothing; 
and  the  river  was  covered  vvith  floating  ice.  But  the  jreneral  knew  the  impi  rtancc 
of  striking  some  successful  blow.  <o  animate  tiie  expiring  hopes  ol  th»  country ; 
and  on  the  night  of  December  2ljlh,  crossed  the  river,  and  fell  upon  th",  enemy  by 
Burprise,  and  took  the  whole  body  consisting  of  about  nine  hundred  men.  A  few 
were  killed,  among  whom  was  colonel  Rahl  the  commander. 


TCTEWwrrrjJwnwBPi 


i?B'w?'f»»5^w»W'BWjw»!w^Br«r 


38 


ETHAN    ALLEN  3 


therefore  colleclcd,  and  marched  from  Princeton,  to  attack  general 
Washington,  who  was  then  at  Trenton,  having  previously  left  a  detach- 
ment from  their  main  body  at  Princeton,  for  the  support  of  that  place. 
This  was  a  trying  time,  for  our  worthy  general,  though  in  possession  of 
a  late  most  astonishing  victory,  was  by  no  means  able  to  withstand  the 
collective  force  of  the  enemy  ;  but  his  sagacity  soon  suggested  a  strata- 
gem to  eRect  that  which,  by  force,  to  him  was  at  that  time  impracti- 
cable. He  therefore  amused  the  enemy  with  a  number  of  fires,  and  in 
the  night  made  a  forced  march,  undiscovered  by  them,  and  next  morn- 
ing fell  in  with  their  rear-guard  at  Princeton,  and  killed  and  took  most 
of  them  prisoners.  The  main  body  too  late  perceived  their  rear  was 
attacked,  hurried  back  with  all  speed,  but  to  their  mortification,  found 
that  they  were  out-generalled  and  baffled  by  general  Washington,  who 
was  retired  with  his  little  army  towards  Morristown,  and  was  «,ut  of  their 
power.*  These  repeated  successes,  one  on  the  back  of  the  other,  cha- 
grined the  enemy  prodigiously,  and  had  an  amazing  operation  in  the 
scale  of  American  politics,  and  undoubtedly  was  one  of  the  corner  stones, 
on  which  their  fair  structure  of  Indepedency  has  been  fabricated,  for 
the  country  at  no  one  time  has  ever  been  so  much  dispirited,  as  just  be- 
fore the  morning  of  this  glorious  success,  which  in  part  dispelled  the 
gloomy  clouds  of  oppression  and  slavery,  which  lay  pending  over  Amer- 
ica, big  with  the  ruin  of  this  and  future  generations,  and  enlightened 
and  spirited  her  sons  to  redouble  their  blows  on  a  merciless,  and  haughty, 
and  I  may  add  perfidious  enemy- 

Furthermore,  this  success  had  a  mighty  eflfect  on  General  Howe  and 
his  council,  and  roused  them  to  a  sense  of  tlieir  own  weakness,  and 
convinced  Them  that  they  were  neitiier  omniscient  nor  omnipotent.  Their 
obduracy  and  death-designing  malevolence,  in  some  measure,  abated 
or  was  suspended.  The  prisoners,  who  were  condemned  to  the  most 
wretched  and  crudest  of  deaths,  and  who  survived  to  this  period,  though 
most  of  tiiem  died  before,  were  immediately  prdered  to  be  sent  within 
Gen.  Washington's  lines  for  an  exchange,  and,  in  consequence  of  it, 
were  taken  out  of  their  filthy  and  poisonous  plares  of  confinement,  and 
sent  from  New- York  to  their  friends  in  haste  ;  several  of  them  fell  dead 
in  the  streets  of  New- York,  as  they  attempted  to  walk  to  the  vessels  in 
the  harbor,  for  their  intended  embarkation.     What  numbers  lived  to  reach 


*  On  the  2(]  of  January,  1777,  Lord  Cornwallis  appeared  near  Trenton,  with  a 
strong  body  of  troops.  Skirmishing  took  place,  and  impeded  tiio  march  of  the 
British  army,  until  the  Americans  had  secured  tiieir  artillery  and  baggage;  when 
they  retired  to  the  southward  of  the  creek,  and  repulsed  the  enemy  in  tlieir  attempt 
to  pass  the  bridge.  As  Grcneral  Wasiiingtoii's  force  was  not  Bufficient  to  meet  the 
enemy,  and  his  situation  was  critical,  lie  determined,  with  the  advice  of  a  council 
of  war,  to  attempt  a  stratagem.  He  gave  orders  for  the  troops  to  light  fires  in  their 
£amp,  (which  were  intenued  to  deceive  the  enemy,)  and  be  prepared-  to  march. 
Accordingly  at  twelve  o'clock  at  night  tlie  troops  Icii  the  ground,  and  by  a  circuit- 
ous marcli,  eluded  the  vigilance  of  the  enemy,  and  early  in  ihe  morning  appeared 
at  Priacton.  A  smart  ac:ion  ensued,  but  the  British  troops  gave  way.  A  party 
took  refuge  in  the  college,  a  building  with  strong  stone  walls,  but  were  forced  vo 
Burreuder.  The  enemy  lort  in  kill-  '1,  wounded  and  prisoners,  about  five  hundred 
nien.  Tlie  Americans  lost  but  few  men;  bur,  among  them  was  a  most  valuable 
officer,  general  Mercer. 


'h  xm 


SAIinATlVE. 


39 


the  lines  I  cannot  ascertain,  but,  from  concurrent  representations  which 
1  imve  since  received  from  numbers  of  people  who  lived  in  aod  adjacent 
to  such  parts  of  the  country,  where  they  were  received  from  the  enemy, 
I  apprehend  that  most  of  them  died  in  consequence  of  ihe  vile  usage  of 
the  enemy.  Some  who  were  eye  witnesses  of  that  scene  of  mortality, 
more  especially  in  that  part  which  continued  after  the  exchange  took 
place,  are  of  opinion,  that  it  was  partly  in  consequence  of  a  slow  poison  ; 
but  this  I  refer  to  the  doctors  that  attended  them,  who  are  certainly  the 
best  judges. 

Upon  the  best  calculation  I  have  been  able  to  make  from  personal 
kno'-  ledge,  and  the  many  evidences  I  have  collected  in  support  of  the 
facts,  I  learn  that,  of  the  priso.iers  taken  on  Long-Island,  Fort  Wash- 
ington, and  some  few  others,  at  diflerent  times  and  places,  about  two 
thousand  perished  with  hunger,  cold  and  sickness,  occasioned  by  the 
filth  of  their  prisons,  at  New-York,  and  a  number  more  on  their  passage 
to  the  continental  lines.  Most  of  the  residue,  who  reached  their  friends, 
having  received  their  death  wound,  could  not  be  restored  by  the  assist- 
ance of  physicians  and  friends ;  but  like  their  brother  prisoners,  fell  a 
sacrifice  to  the  relentless  and  scientific  barbarity  of  Britain.  I  took  as 
much  pains  as  my  circumstances  would  admit  of,  to  inform  myself  not 
only  of  matters  of  fact,  but  likewise  of  the  very  design  and  aims  of 
General  Howe  and  his  council.  The  latter  of  which  I  predicated  on 
the  former,  and  submit  it  to  the  candid  public. 

And  lastly,  the  aforesaid  success  of  the  American  arms  had  a  happy 
effect  on  the  continental  ofiiceis  who  were  on  parole  at  New-York.  A 
number  of  us  assembled,  but  not  in  a  public  manner,  and  with  full 
bowls  and  glasses,  drank  Gen.  Washington's  health,  and  wei'fe  not  un- 
mindful of  Congress  and  our  worthy  friends  on  the  continent,  and  al- 
most forgot  that  we  were  prisoners. 

A  few  days  after  this  recreation,  a  British  ofliccr  of  rank  and  import- 
ance in  their  army,  whose  name  I  shall  not  mention  in  this  narrative, 
fur  certain  reasons,  though  I  have  mentioned  it  to  some  of  my  close 
;>!  -uS  and  confidants,  sent  for  me  to  his  lodgings,  and  told  me,  "  That 

.<.'  tu'uess,  though  in  a  wrong  cause,  had  nevertheless  recommended 
u<  tr  Jen.  Sir  William  Howe,  who  was  minded  to  make  me  a  colonel 
of  a  st'u'^ncnt  of  new  levies,  alius  tories,  in  the  British  service  ;  and  pro- 
posed that  I  should  go  with  him,  and  some  other  officers,  to  England, 
who  would  embark  for  that  purpose  in  a  few  days,  and  there  be  intro- 
duced to  Lord  G.  Germaiiifc,  and  probably  to  the  King  ;  and  that  pre- 
viously I  should  be  clutlied  equal  to  such  an  introduction,  and,  instead 
of  paper  rags,  be  paid  in  hard  guineas  ;  after  this,  should  embark  with 
Gen.  Burgoync,  and  assist  in  the  reduction  of  the  country,  which  infal- 
libly would  be  conquered,  and,  when  that  should  be  done,  I  should 
have  a  large  tract  of  land,  either  in  the  New-Hampshire  grants,  or  in 
Connecticut,  it  would  make  no  odds,  as  the  country  would  be  forfeited 
to  the  crown."  1  then  replied,  •'  That,  if  by  faithfulness  I  had  recom- 
mended  myself  to  Gen.  Howe,  I  should  be  loth,  by  unfaithfulness,  to 
lose  the  General's  good  opinion  ;  besides,  that  I  viewed  the  offer  of  land 
to  be  similar  to  that  which  the  devil  offered  Jesus  Christ,  "  To  give  him 


A.\..\  .'^  •-..  ,Vi;.y 


iit^^-l-.t-^ii:.ii.iJLLiA-;..ijkL:ik 


'■mjnu^^.j :r 


-^^-.M,tm,  ,".',-iniifWTi 


■nm 


40 


ETHAN    ALLEN  9 


all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  it'  he  would  fall  down  and  worship  him  ', 
when  nt  the  same  time,  the  damned  soul  had  not  one  foot  of  land  upon 
earth."  This  closed  the  conversation,  and  the  gentleman  turned  from 
me  with  an  air  of  dislike,  saying,  that  I  was  a  bigot;  upon  which  I  re- 
tired to  my  lodgings.* 

Near  the  last  of  November,  1  was  admitted  to  parole  in  New- York, 
with  many  other  American  officers,  and  on  the  22d  of  January,  1777, 
was  with  them  directed  by  the  British  commissary  of  prisoners  to  be 
quartered  on  the  westerly  part  of  Long-Island,  and  our  parol  continued. 
During  my  imprisonment  there,  no  occurrences  worth  observation  hap- 
pened. I  obtained  the  means  of  living  as  well  as  I  desired,  which  in  a 
great  measure  repaired  my  constitution,  which  had  been  greatly  injured 
by  the  severities  of  an  inhuman  captivity.  I  now  began  to  feel  myself 
composed,  ex'^ecting  eiiher  an  exchange^  or  continuance  in  good  and 
honorable  treatment ;  br  p'  v?  '  my  visionary  expectations  soon  vanished. 
The  news  of  the  conques  .  '^'iconderoga  by  general  Burgoyne,f  and 
the  advance  of  his  army  i.i>  the  country,  made  the  haughty  Britons 
again  feel  their  importance,  and  with  that,  their  insatiable  thirst  for 
cruelty. 

The  private  prisoners  at  New- York,  and  some  of  the  officers  on  parole, 
felt  the  severity  of  it.  Burgoyne  was  to  them  a  demi-god.  To  him 
they  paid  adoration  :  in  him  the  tories  placed  their  confidence,  *•  and 
forgot  the  Lord  their  God,"  and  served  Howe,  Burgoyne  and  Knyp- 
hausen.J  "  and  became  vile  in  their  own  imagination.,  and  their  foolish 
hearts  were  darkened,"  professing  to  be  great  politicians  and  relying  on 
foreign  and  merciless  invaders,  and  with  tliem  seeking  the  ruin,  blood- 
shed and  destruction  of  their  country  ;  '*  became  fools,"  expecting  with 
them  to  share  a  dividend  in  the  confiscated  estates  of  their  neighbors 
and  countrymen  who  fought  for  the  whole  country,  and  the  religion  and 
liberties  thereof.  "  Therefore,  God  gave  them  over  to  strong  delusions, 
to  believe  a  lie,  that  they  all  might  be  damned." 

The  25th  day  of  August,  I  was  was  apprehended,  and,  under  pretext 
of  artful,  mean  and  pitiful  pretences,  that  I  had  infiinged  on  my  parole, 

*  This  conduct  of  Colonel  Allen,  though  springing  from  diiiy,  oiglit  not  to  he 
passed  over  without  tributary  praise.  Tiie  rofuaul  of  such  mi  offer  and  in  such 
circumstances,  was  highly  meritorious.  Though  the  nuin  of  strict  honor,  and  rigid 
integrity,  deems  the  plaudit  of  his  own  conscience  an  ample  reward  for  his  best 
actions,  it  is  a  pleasing  employment,  to  those  who  witness  such  actions,  to  record 
them.    It  is  an  incentive  to  others  to  '  go  and  do  likewise.' 

t  In  June,  1777,  the  Britifih  army,  amounting  to  several  thousand  men,  besides 
Indians  and  Canadians,  commanded  by  general  Burgoyne,  crossed  the  Ial<e  and 
laid  siege  to  Ticonderoga.  In  a  short  time,  the  enemy  gained  possession  of  Sugar 
Hill,  which  commanded  the  American  lines,  and  general  St.  Clair,  with  the  advice 
of  a  council  of  war,  ordered  the  post  to  be  abandoned.  The  retreat  of  the  Amcr- 
leans  was  conducted  under  every  possible  disadvantage — part  of  their  force  e:ri- 
barked  in  batieaux  and  landed  at  Skcnesborough — a  pan  marched  by  the  way  of 
Ca!»tleton ;  but  they  were  obliged  to  leave  their  heavy  cannon,  and  on  their  march, 
lost  great  part  of  their  baggage  and  stores,  while  their  rear  was  harassed  by  the 
British  troops.  An  action  took  place  between  colonel  Warner,  with  a  body  of 
Americans,  and  general  Frnzcr,  in  which  the  Americans  were  defeated,  after  a 
brave  resistance,  with  the  loss  of  a  valuable  ofliccr,  colonel  Francis. 

X  Knyphausen,  a  Hessian  general. 


nXraative. 


^1 


re- 


taken from  a  tavetn,  where  there  were  more  than  a  dozen  officers  pre- 
sent and,  in  the  very  place  where  those  officers  and  myself  were  direct- 
ed to  be  quartered,  put  under  a  strong  guard  and  taken  to  New-Vork, 
where  I  cxpecred  to  make  my  defence  before  the  commanding  officer ; 
btrt,  contrary  to  my  expectations,  and  without  the  least  solid  pretence  of 
justice  or  a  trial,  was  again  encircled  with  a  strong  guard  with  fixed 
bayonets,  and  conducted  to  the  provost-goal  in  a  lonely  apartment,  next 
above  the  dungeon,  and  was  denied  all  manner  of  subsistence  either 
by  purchase  or  allowance.  The  second  day  1  offered  a  guinea  for  a 
meal  of  victuals,  but  was  denied  it,  and' the  third  day  I  offered  eight 
Spanish  milled  dollars  for  a  like  favor,  but  was  denied,  and  all  I  could 
get  out  of  the  sergeant's  mouth,  was  that  by  God  he  would  obey  his 
orders.  I  now  perceived  myself  to  be  again  in  substantial  trouble.  In 
this  condition  I  formed  an  oblique  acquaintance  with  a  Capt.  Travis,  of 
Virginia,  who  was  in  the  dungeon  below  me,  through  a  little  hole  which 
was  cut  with  a  pen-knife,  through  the  floor  of  my  apartment  which 
communicated  with  the  dungeon ;  it  was  a  small  crevice,  through  which 
I  could  discern  but  a  very  small  part  of  his  face  at  once,  when  he  applied 
it  to  the  hole;  but  from  the  discovery  i<f  him  in  the  situation  which  we 
were  both  then  in,  I  could  not  have  known  him,  which  I  found  to  be 
true  by  an  after  acquaintance.  T  could  nevertheless  hold  a  conversation 
with  him,  and  soon  perceived  him  to  be  a  gentleman  of  high  spirits, 


who  had  a 


high 


sense  of  honor,  and  felt  as  big,  aa  though  he  had 


been  in  a  palace,  and  had  treasures  of  wrath  in  store  against  the  British, 
in  fine  I  was  charmed  with  the  spirit  of  the  man  ;  he  had  been  near  or 
quite  four  months  in  that  dungeon,  with  murderers,  thieves,  and  every 
species  of  criminals,  and  all  for  the  sole  crime  of  unshaken  fidelity  to 
his  country  ;  but  his  spirits  were  above  dejection,  and  his  mind  uncon- 
querable. I  engaged  to  do  him  every  service  in  my  power,  and  in  a 
few  weeks  afterwards,  with  the  united  petitions  of  the  officers,  in  the 
provost,  procured  his  dismission  from  the  dark  mansion  of  fiends  to  the 
apartments  of  his  petitioners.  *^ 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  3d  day,  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun, 
that  I  was  presented  with  a  piece  of  boiled  pork,  and  some  biscuit,  which 
the  sergeant  gave  me  to  understand,  was  my  allowance,  and  I  fed 
sweetly  on  the  same  ;  but  I  indulged  my  appetite  by  degrees,  and  in  a 
few  days  more,  was  taken  from  that  apartment,  and  conducted  to  the 
next  loft  or  story,  where  there  were  a'»ove  twenty  continental,  and  some 
militia  officers,  who  had  been  taken,  and  imcrisoned  there,  besides  some 
private  gentlemen,  who  had  been  dragged  from  their  own  homes  to  that 
filthy  place  by  tories.  Several  of  every  denomination  mentioned,  died 
there,  some  before,  and  others  after  I  was  put  there. 

The  history  of  the  proceedings  relative  to  the  pirovost .  only,  were  I 
particular,  would  swell  a  volume  larger  than  tins  whole  narrative.  I 
shall  therefore  only  notice  such  of  the  occurences  which  are  mostly  ex- 
traordinary. 

Capt.  Vandyke  bore,  with  an  uncommon  fortitude,  near  twenty  months' 
confinement  in  this  place,  and  in  the  mean  time  was  very  serviceable  to 
others  who  were  confined  with  him.     The  allegation  against  him,  as  the 


EnV«P«!ET!7nRIB*P 


1.  ilJ.4Dl|iillUWMI..l 


W 


ETHAN    ALLKn's 


caus€  of  his  confinenient,  was  very  extraordinary.  He  was  accused  oT 
setting  fire  to  the  city  of  New-York,  at  the  time  the  west  part  of  it  was 
consumed,  witen  it  was  a  known  fact,  that  he  had  been  in  the  provost  a 
week  before  the  fire  broke  out ;  and  in  like  manner,  frivolous  were  the 
ostensible  accusations  against  most  of  those  who  were  there  confined  ; 
the  case  of  two  miHiia  officers  excepted,  who  were  taken  in  their  at- 
tempting to  escape  from  their  parole  ;  and  probably  there  may  be  some 
other  iastances  whicii  might  justify  such  a  confinement. 

Mr.  William  Miller,  a  committee  man-,  from  West  Chester  county, 
and  state  of  New  York,  was  taken  from  his  bed  in  the  dead  of  the  night 
by  his  tory  neighbors,  and  was  starved  for  three  days  and  nights  in  an 
apartment  of  the  same  gaol ;  add  to  this  the  denial  of  fire,  and  that  in  a 
cold  season  of  the  year,  in  which  time  he  walked  day  and  night,  to 
defend  himself  against  the  frost,  and  when  he  complained  of  such  a 
reprehensible  conduct,  the  word  rebel  or  committee  man  was  deemed 
by  the  enemy  a  sufficient  atonement  for  any  inhumanity  that  they  could 
invent  or  inilict.  He  was  a  man  of  good  natural  understanding,  a  close 
and  sincere  friend  to  the  liberties  of  America,  and  endured  fourteen 
months'  cruel  imprisonment  with  that  magnanimity  of  soul,  which  reflects 
honor  on  himself  and  country. 

Major 'Levi  Wells,  and  Capt.  Ozias  Bissel,  were  apprehended  and 
taken  under  guard  from  their  parole  on  Long-Island,  to  the  provost,  on 
as  fallacious  pretences  as  the  former,  and  were  there  continued  till  their 
exchange  took  place  which  was  near  five  months.  Their  fidelity  and 
zealous  attachment  to  their  country's  cause,  which  was  more  than  com- 
monly conspicuous  was  undoubtedly  the  real  cause  of  their  confinement. 

Major  Brinton  Payne,  Capt.  Flahaven,  and  Capt.  Randolph,  who  had 
at  different  times  distinguished  themselves  by  their  bravery,  especially  at 
the  several  actions,  in  which  they  were  taken,  were  all  the  provocation 
they  gave,  for  which  they  suffered  about  a  year's  confinement,  each  io 
the  same  filthy  gaol. 

A  few  weeks  aFior  my  confinement,  on  the  like  fallacious  and  wicked 
pretences,  was  brought  to  the  same  place,  from  his  parole  on  Long-Island^ 
Major  Otho  Holland  Williams  now  a  full  Col.  in  the  continental  army, 
tn  his  character  are  united  the  gentleman,  officer,  soldier,  and  friend  ; 
he  walked  through  the  prison  with  an  air  of  great  disdain  ;  said  he,  "  Is 
this  tho  treatment  which  gentlemen  of  the  continental  army  are  to  expect 
from  the  rascally  British,  when  in  their  power?  Heavens  forbid  it!" 
He  was  continued  there  about,  five  months,  and  then  exchanged  for  a 
British  Major. 

John  Fell,  Elsq.  now  a  member  of  Congress  for  the  state  of  New-Jer-^ 
sey,  was  taken  from  his  own  house  by  a  gang  of  infamous  tories,  and  by 
order  of  a  British  General  was  sent  to  the  provost,  where  he  was  conti- 
nued near  one  year.  The  stench  of  the  gaol,  which  was  very  loathsome 
and  unhealthy,  occasioned  a  hoarseneas  of  the  lungs,  which  proved  fatal 
to  many  who  were  there  confined,  and  reduced  this  gentleman  near  to 
the  point  of  death  ;  he  was  indeed  given  over  by  his  friendis  who  were 
about  him,  and  himself  concluded  he  must  die.  I  could  not  endure  tho 
thought  that  so  worthy  a  friend  to  America  should  haye  his  life  stolen^ 


r 


mmm' 


irARRATITB. 


^ 


from  him  in  such  a  mean,  base,  and  scandalous  manner,  and  that  hia 
Tnmily  and  friends  should  be  bereaved  of^so  great  and  desirable  a  bless- 
ing, as  his  further  care,  usefulness  and  example,  might  prove  to  them. 
I  therefore  wrote  a  letter  to  George  Robertson,  who  commanded  in  town, 
and  being  touched  with  the  most  sensible  feelings  of  humanity,  which 
dictated  my  pen  to  paint  dying  distress  in  such  lively  colors  that  it 
wrought  conviction  even  on  the  obduracy  xff  a  British  General,  and  pro- 
duced his  order  to  remove  the  now  honorable  John  Fell,  Esq.  out  of  a 
gaol,  to  private  lodgings  in  town  ;  in  consequence  of  which  he  slowly 
recovered  his  health.  There  is  so  extraordinary  a  circumstance  which 
intervened  concerning  this  letter,  that  it  is  worth  noticing. 

Previous  to  sending  it,  I  exhibited  ths^ame  to  the  gentleman  on  whose 
behalf  it  was  written,  for  his  approbation,  and  he  forbid  me  tt>  send  it  in 
the  mosi  positive  and  explicit  terms ;  his  reason  was,  "  That  tlie  enemy 
knew,  by  every  morning's  report,  the  condition  of  all  the  prisoners,  mine 
in  particular,  as  I  have  been  gradually  coming  to  my  end  for  a  consider- 
able time,  and  they  very  well  knew  it,  and  likewise  determined  it  should 
be  accomplished,  as  they  had  served  many  others  ;  that,  to  ask  a  favor, 
would  give  the  merciless  enemy  occasion  to  triumph  over  me  in  my  last 
moments,  and  therefore  I  will  ask  no  favors  from  them,  but  resign  my- 
self to  my  supposed  fate."  But  the  letter  I  sent  without  his  knowledge, 
and  I  confess  I  had  but  little  expectations  f^-om  it,  yet  could  not  be  easy 
till  I  had  sent  it.  I  may  be  worth  a  remark,  that  this  gentleman  was  an 
Englishman  born,  and  from  the  beginning  of  the  revolution  has  invari- 
ably asserted  and  maintained  the  cause  of  liberty. 

The  British  have  made  so  extensive  an  improvement  of  the  provost 
during  the  present  revolution  till  of  late,  that  a  very  short  definition  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  dullest  apprehensions.  It  may  be  with  propriety 
called  the  British  inquisition,  and  calculated  to  support  their  oppressive 
measures  and  designs,  by  suppressing  the  spirit  of  liberty ;  as  also  a 
place  to  confine  the  criminals,  and  most  infamous  wretches  of  their  own 
army,  where  many  gentlemen  of  the  American  army,  and  citizens  there- 
of, were  promiscuously  confined,  with  every  species  of  criminals ;  but 
they  divided  into  different  apartments,  and  kept  at  as  great  a  remove  as 
circumstances  permitted  ;  but  it  was  nevertheless  at  the  option  of  a  vil- 
lainous sergeant,  who  had  the  charge  of  the  provost,  to  lake  any  gentle- 
man from  their  room,  and  put  them  into  the  dungeon,  which  was  often 
the  case.  At  two  diflferent  times  I  was  taken  down  stairs  for  that  pur- 
pose, by  a  file  of  soldiers  with  fixed  bayonets,  and  the  sergeant  brand- 
.shing  his  sword  at  the  same  time,  and  having  been  brought  to  the  door 
of  the  dungeon,  I  there  flattered  the  vanity  of  the  sergeant,  whose  name 
was  Keef.  by  which  means  I  procured  the  surprizing  favor  to  return  to 
my  companions ;  but  some  of  the  high  mettled  young  gentlemen  could 
not  bear  his  insolence,  and  determined  to  keep  at  a  distance,  and  neither 
please  nor  displease  the  villain,  but  none  could  keep  dear  of  his  abuse; 
however,  mild  measures  were  the  best ;  he  did  not  hesitate  to  call  us 
damned  rebels,  and  use  us  with  the  coarsest  language.  The  Capts. 
Flahaven,  Randolph  and  Mercer,  were  the  objects  of  his  most  flagrant 
and  repeated  abuses,  who  were  many  times  token  to  the  dungeon,  and 


jf^'-.^yttaZ 


44 


ETHAN   ALLEN  • 


there  continued  at  his  pleasure.  Capt.  Flahaven  took  cold  in  the  don^ 
geon,  and  wa;  in  a  declining  state  of  health,  but  an  exchange  delivered 
him,  and  in  all  probability  sarred  his  life.  It  was  very  mortifying  to 
bear  with  the  insolence  of  such  a  vicious  and  ill-bred,  imperious  rascal. 
Remonstrances  against  him  were  preferred  to  tho  commander  of  the 
town,  but  no  relief  could  be  obtained,  for  his  superiors  were  undoubt' 
ediy  well  pleased  with  his  abusive  coi.dust  to  the  gentlemen,  under  the 
severities  of  his  power ;  and  remonstrating  against  his  infernal  conduct, 
only  served  to  confirm  him  in  authority ;  and  for  this  reason  I  never 
made  any  remonstrances  on  the  subject,  but  only  stroked  him,  for  I 
knew  that  he  was  but  a  cat's  paw  in  the  hands  of'  the  British  officers, 
and  that,  if  he  should  use  us  well;  he  would  immediately  be  put  out  of 
that  trust,  and  a  worse  man  appointed  to  succeed  him  ;  but  there  waa 
no  need  of  making  any  new  appointment ;  for  Cunningham,  their  pro- 
vost marshall,  and  Kecf,  his  deputy,  were  as  great  rascals  as  their  army 
could  boast  of,  except  one  Joshua  Loring,  an  infamous  tory,  who  was 
commissionary  of  prisoners ;  nor  can  any  of  these  be  supposed  to  be 
equally  criminal  with  Gen.  Sir  William  Howe  and  his  associates,  who 
prescribed  and  directed  the  murders  and  cruelties,  which  were  by  them 
perpetrated.  This  Loring  is  a  monster ! — ^There  is  not  his  like  in  human 
shape.  He  exhibits  a  smiling  countenance,  seems  to  wear  a  phiz  of 
hunqanity,  but  has  been  instrumentally  capable  of  the  most  consumate 
nets  of  wickedness,  which  were  first  projected  by  an  abandoned  British 
council  clothed  with  the  authority  of  a  Howe,  murdering  premeditated- 
)y,  in  cold  blood,  near  or  quite  two  thousand  helpless  prisoners,  and 
that  in  the  most  clandestine,  mean  and  shameful  manner,  at  New-York. 
He  is  the  most  mean  spirited,  cowardly,  deceitful,  and  destructive  anir 
Dial  in  God's  creation  below,  and  legions  of  infernal  devils,  with  all  their 
tremendous  horrors,  are  impatiently  ready  to  receive  Howe  and  him, 
with  all  their  detestable  accomplices,  into  the  most  exquisite  agonies  of 
the  hottest  regions  of  hell  fne.* 

The  6lh  day  of  July,  1*17,  Gen.  St.  Clair,  and  the  army  under  his 
command,  evacuated  Ticonderoga,  and  retreated  with  the  main  body 
through  Hubbardton  into  Castleton,  which  was  but  six  miles  distant, 
when  his  rear-guard,  commanded  by  Col.  Seth  Wurner,  was  attacked  at 
Hubbarton  by  a  body  of  the  enemy  of  about  two  thousand,  commanded 
by  General  Eraser.  Warner's  command  consisted  of  his  own  and  two 
Other  regiments,  viz.  Francis's  and  Hale's,  and  some  scattering  and  en- 
feebled soldiers.  His  whole  number,  according  to  information,  was  near 
or  quite  one  thousand  ;  part  of  which  were  Green  Mountain  Boys,  about 
seven  hundred  out  of  the  vvhole  he  brought  into  action.  The  enemy 
advanced  boldly,  and  the  two  bodies  formed  within  about  sixty  yards  of 
each  other.  Col.  Warner  having  formed  his  own  regiment,  and  that  of 
Col.  Francis's  did  not  wait  for  the  enemy,  but  gave  them  a  heavy  fire 
from  his  whole  line,  and  they  returned  it  with  great  bravery.     It  was 

*  The  publiehers  would  suppress  some  of  the  language  and  expressions  Col.  Al- 
len occasionally  makes  use  oi,  but  presuming  the  reader  to  make  all  reasonable 
allowance,  both  for  the  style  and  the  matter,  it  was  thought  most  eligible  to  give 
the  narrative  in  the  very  dress  furnished  by  the  author. 


NAftttATltE. 


46 


.•<>-^ 


by  tbts  time  dangerous  for  those  of  both  parties,  who  were  not  prepared 
for  the  world  to  come  ;  but  Colonel  Hale  being  apprised  of  the  danger, 
never  brought  bis  regiment  to  the  charge,  but  left  Warner  and  Francis 
to  stand  the  blowing  of  it,  «nd  fled,  but  luckily  fell  in  with  an  inconsi- 
derable number  of  the  enemy,  and  to  his  eternal  shame,  surrendered 
himself  a  prisoner. 

The  conflict  was  very  bloody.  Col.  Francis  fell  in  the  same,  but 
Col.  Warner,  and  the  officers  under  his  command,  as  also  the  soldiery, 
behaved  with  great  resolution.  The  enemy  broke,  and  gave  way  on 
the  right  and  left,  but  formed  again,  and  renewed  the  atlack  ;  in  the 
mean  time  the  British  grenadiers,  in  the  center  of  the  enemy's  line, 
maintained  the  ground,  and  finally  carried  it  with  the  point  of  the  bay- 
onet, and  Warner  retreated  with  reluctance.  Our  loss  was  about  thirty 
men  killed,  and  that  of  the  enemy  amounting  to  three  hundred  killed, 
including  a  Major  Grant.  The  enemy's  loss  I  learnt  from  the  confes- 
sion of  their  own  ofFcers,  when  a  prisoner  with  them.  I  heard  them 
likewise  complain,  that  the  Green  Mountain  Boys  took  sight.  The  next 
movement  of  the  enemy,  of  any  material  consequence,  was  their  invest- 
ing Bennington,'**  with  a  design  to  demolish  it,  and  subject  its  Moun- 
taineers, to  which  they  had  a  great  aversion,  with  one  hundred  and  fifty 
chosen  men,  including  tories,  with  the  highest  expectation  of  success, 
and  having  chosen  an  eminence  of  strong  ground,  fortified  it  with  slight 
breast  works,  and  two  pieces  of  cannon ;  but  the  government  of  the 
young  state  of  Vermont,  being  previously  jealousy  of  such  an  attempt 
of  the  enemy,  and  in  due  time  had  procured  a  number  of  brave  militia 
from  the  government  of  the  state  of  New-Hampshire,  who,  together  with 
the  militia  of  the  norf^  part  of  Berkshire  county,  and  state  of  Massachu- 
setts, and  the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  constituted  a  body  of  desperadoes, 
under  the  command  of  the  intrepid  general  Stark,  who  in  number  were 
about  equal  to  the  enemy.  Colonel  Herrick,  who  commnded  the  Green 
Mountain  Rangers,  and  who  was  second  in  command,  being  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  the  ground  where  the  enemy  had  fortified,  proposed  ta 
attack  them  in  their  works  upon  all  parts,  at  the  same  time.  This  plan 
being  adopted  by  the  general  and  his  council  of  war,  the  little  militia 
brigade  of  undisciplined  heroes,  with  their  long  brown  firelocks,  the 
the  best  security  of  a  free  people,  without  either  cannon  or  bayonets, 
was,  on  the  16ih  day  of  August,  led  on  to  the  attack  by  their  bold  com- 
manders, in  the  face  of  the  "enemy's  dreadful  fire,  and  to  the  astonish- 

♦  The  Americans  had  collected  a  quantity  of  scores  at  Bennington ;  to  destroy 
which  as  well  as  to  animate  the  royalists  ana  intimidate  the  patriots,  general  Bur- 
goyne  detached  colonel  Baum,  with  five  hundred  men  and  one  hundred  Indians. 
Colonel  Breyman  was  sent  to  reinforce  him,  but  did  not  arrive  in  time.  On  the 
16th  of  August,  general  Stark,  with  ahout  eight  hundred  brave  militia  men  attack- 
ed colonel  Baum,  in  his  entrenched' camp  about  six  miles  from  Bennington,  and 
killed  or  took  prisoners  nearly  the  whole  detachment.  The  next  day  colonel  Brey- 
man was  attacked  and  defeated.  In  these  actions,  the  Americans  took  about  seven 
hundred  prisoners,  and  these  successes  served  to  revive  the  spirits  of  the  people. 
This  success  however  was  in  part  counterbalanced  by  the  advantages  gained  on 
the  Mohawk  by  colonel  St.  Leger;  but  this  officer,  attacking  fort  Stanwix,  was  re- 
pelled, and  obliged  to  abandon  the  attempt. 


^? 


s 


? 


>..-,. . 


!"ja.v_A-». 


se 


46 


BTttAtf  ALtfc^'f 


M 


ment  of  the  world,  and  burlesque  or  discipline,  carried  every  part  of 
their  lines  in  less  than  one  quarter  of  an  hour  after  the  attack  became 
genera),  took  their  cannon,  killed  and  captivated  more  than  two-thirds 
of  their  number,  which  immortalized  general  Stark,  and  made  Benning- 
ton famous  to  posterity. 

Among  the  enemy's  slain  was  found  colonel  Baum,''the!r  commander, 
a  colonel  Pfester,  who  headed  an  infamous  gang  of  tories,  and  a  large 
part  of  his  command  ;  and  among  the  prisoners  was, major  Meibome, 
their  second  in  command,  a  number  of  British  and  Hessian  officers,  sur- 
geons, <&c.  and  more  than  one  hundred  of  the  aforementioned  Pfester's 
command.  The  prisoners  being  collected  together,  were  sent  to  the 
meeting-house  in  the  town,  by  a  strong  guard,  and  Gen.  Stark  not  ima- 
gining any  present  danger,  the  militia  scattered  from  him  to  rest  and 
refresh  themselves  ;  in  this  situation  he  was  on  a  sudden  attacked  by  a 
reinforcement  of  one  thousand  and  one  hundred  of  the  enemy,  com- 
manded by  a  governer  Skene,  with  two  field  pieces.  They  advanced 
in  regular  order,  and  kept  up  an  incessant  fire,  especially  from  their 
field  pieces,  and  the  remaining  militia  retreating  slowly  before  them, 
disputed  the  ground  inch  by  inch.  The  enemy  were  heard  tu  halloo  to 
them,  saying,  stop  Yankees !  In  the  meantime,  CuH  Warner,  with 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  men  of  his  regiment,  who  were  not  in  the 
first  action,  arrived  and  attacked  the  eneiny  with  great  fury,  being  de- 
termined to  have  ample  on  account  of  the  quarrel  at  Hubbardton,  which 
brought  them  to  a  stand,  and  soon  after  general  Stark  and  colonel  Her- 
rick,  brought  on  more  of  the  scattered  militia,  and  the  action  became 
general ;  in  a  few  minutes  the  enemy  were  forced  from  their  cannon, 
gave  way  on  all  parts  and  fled,  and  the  shouts  of  victory  were  a  second 
time  proclaimed  in  favor  of  the  militia.  The  enemy's  loss  in  killed  and 
prisoners,  in  these- two  actions,  amounted  to  more  than  one  thousand 
and  two  hundred  men,  and  our  loss  did  not  exceed  fifty  men.  This 
was  a  bitter  stroke  to  the  enemy,  but  their  pride  would  not  permit  them 
to  hesitate  but  that  they  could  vanish  the  country,  and  as  a  specimen  of 
their  arrogancy,  I  shall  insert  general  Burgoyne's  proclamation : — 

•'  By  John  Burgoyne,  EsqwLieutenant-General  ofhis  Majesty's  armies  in  Amer- 
ica, Colonel  of  the  Queen's  regiment  of  light  dragoons,  Governor  of  Fort  William 
in  North-Britain,  one  of  the  Representatives  of  the  Commons  of  Great  Britain,  in 
Parliament,  and  commanding  an  army  and  fleet  employed  on  an  expedition  from 
Canada,  &c.  dec.  &c. 

"  The  forces  entrusted  to  my  command  are  designed  to  act  in  concert  and  upon 
a  common  principle,  with  the  numerous  armies  and  fleets  which  already  display  in 
every  quarter  of  America,  the  power,  the  justice,  and,  when  properly  sought,  the 
mer^  of  the  King. 

"  The  cause,  in  which  the  Bi-itish  arms  are  thus  exerted,  applies  to  the  most 
affecting  interests  of.  the  human  heart ;  and  the  military  servants  of  the  crown,  at 
first  called  forth  for  the  sole  purpose  of  restoring  the  rights  of  the  conetitutiun,  now 
combine  with  love  of  their  country,  and  duty  to  their  sovereign,  the  other  extensive 
incitements  which  spring  from  a  due  sense  of  the  general  privileges  of  mankind. 
To  the  eyes  and  ears  of^the  temperate  part  of  the  public,  and  to  Ihe  breasts  of  suf- 
fering thousands  in  the  provinces,  be  the  melancholy  appeal,  whether  the  present 
unnatural  rebellion  has  not  been  made  a  foundation  for  the  completest  system  of 
tyranny  that  ever  God,  in  his  displeasure,  suffered  for  a  time  to  be  exercised  over 
a  froward  and  stubborn  generation. 


DARRATtYfl< 


47 


8ur- 


I 


*  Arbitrary  imprisonment,  conflecation  of  property,  persecution  and  torture,  im- 
f>recedented  in  the  inquisitions  of  the  Romish  Church,  are  among  the  palpable 
enormities  that  verify  the  afflrmativc.  These  are  inflicted  by  aBsenabhes  and  com* 
mittees,  who  dare  to  profess  themselves  friends  to  liberty,  upon  the  most  quiet 
subjects,  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex,  (or  the  sole  crime,  often  for  the  sole 
suspicion,  of  having  ailhered  in  principle  to  the  governmenf  tlhd^r  which  they 
were  born,  and  to  which,  by  every  tie,  divine  and  human,  they  oW6  allegiance. 
To  consummate  these  shocking  proceedings,  the  profanation  of  religion  is  added 
to  the  most  profligate  prostitution  of  common  reason ;  the  consciences  of  men  are 
set  at  nought ;  and  multitudes  are  compelled  not  only  to  bear  arms,  but  aLw  to 
swear  subjection  to  an  uiitirpation  they  abhor. 

"  Animated  by  these  considerations,  at  the  head  of  troops  in  the  full  powers  of* 
health,  discipline,  and  valor ;  determined  to  strike  where  necessary,  and  anxious  to 
spare  where  possible,  I  by  these  presents  invite  and  exhort  all  persons,  in  all  places 
where  the  progress  of  this  army  may  point ;  and  by  the  blessing  of  God  I  will  ex-  ' 
tend  it  far  to  maintain  such  a  conduct  as  may  justify  me  in  protectmg  their  lands, 
habitations  and  families.  The  intention  of  this  address  is  to  hold  forth  security, 
not  depredation  to  the  country.  To  those  whom  spirit  and  principle  may  induce 
to  partake  of  the  glorious  task  of  redeeming  their  countrymen  from  dungeons,  and 
re-establishing  the  blessings  of  legal  government,  I  cflier  encouragement  and  em- 
ployment; and  upon  the  first  intelligence  of  their  associations,  I  wu!  find  means  to 
assist  their  undertakings.  The  domestic,  the  industrious,  the  infirm,  and  even  the 
timid  inhabitants  I  am  desirous  to  protect,  provided  they  remain  quietly  at  their 
houses ;  that  they  do  not  sufler  their  cattle  to.  be  removed,  nor  their  corn  or  fonge 
to  be  secreted  or  destroyed  ;  that  they  do  not  break  up  their  bridges  or  roads :  nor 
by  any  other  act,  directly  or  indirectly,  endeavour  to  obstruct  the  operations  of  the 
king's  troops,  or  supply  or  assist  those  of  the  enemy.  Every  species  of  provision 
brought  to  my  camp,  will  be  paid  for  at  an  equitable  rate,  and  in  solid  coin. 

"  in  consciousness  of  Christianity,  my  royal  master's  clemancy,  and  the  honor  oT 
soldiership,  I  have  dwelt  upon  tnis  invitation,  and  wished  for  more  persuasive 
termu  to  give  it  impression.  And  let  not  people  be  led  to  disregard  it  by  consider, 
ing  their  distance  from  the  immediate  situation  of  my  camp. — I  have  out  to  give 
stretch  to  the  Indian  forces  under  my  direction,  and.  they  amount  to  thpusands,  to 
overtake  the  hardened  enemies  of  Great  Britain  and  America :  I  consider  them 
the  same  wherever  they  may  lurk. 

"  If,  notwithstanding  these  endeavours,  and  sincere  inclinations  to  effect  thein, 
the  phrensy  of  hostility  should  remain,  I  trust  I  shall  stand  acquitted  in  the  eyes  of 
God  and  man,  in  denouncing  and  executing  the  vengeance  of  the  state  against  the 
wilful  outcasts.  The  messengers  of  justice  and  of  wrath  await  them  in  the  field; 
and  devastation,  famine,  and  every  concomitant  horror  that  a  reluctant  but  indi»- 
pensible  prosecution  of  military  duty  must  occasion,  will  bear  the  way  to  their  re- 
turn. J.  BURGOYNE. 

«  By  order  of  his  Excellen^py  the  Lieut.  General, 

Robert  Eimqston,  iSSsc. 

♦*  Camp  near  Ticonderoga,  4th  July,  1777." 

Gen.  Burgoyne  was  stitl  the  toast,  and  the  severitifes  towards  the 
prisoners  were  in  great  measure  increased  or  diminished,  in  proportion 
to  the  expectation  of  conquest.  His  very  ostentatious  Prociamatioo  was 
in  the  hand  and  mouth  of  most  of  the  soldiery,  especially  the  tories, 
and  from  it,  their  faith  was  raised  to  assurance.  1  wish  my  countrymea 
in  genera)  could  but  have  an  idea  of  the  assuming  tyranny,  and  haughty, 
malevolent,  and  insolent  behavior  of  the  enemy  at  that  time;  and  from 
thence  discern  the  intolerable  calamities  which  this  country  have  extri- 
cated themselves  from  by  their  public  spiritedness  and  bravery.  The 
downfall  of  Gen.  Burgoyne,**"  and  surrender  of  his  whole  army,  dashed 

*  General  Bargoyne,  after  collecting  his  forces  and  stores,  crossed  the  Hudson 
with  a  view  to  penetrate  to  Albany.    But  the  American  array  being  reinforced 


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the  aspiring  ho|ies  and  expectations  or  the  enemy,  and  brought  low  thfl 
imperious  spirit  of  an  opulent,  puissant  and  haughty  nation,  and  made 
the  tories  bite  the  ground  with  anguish,  exalting  the  valor  of  the  free> 
born  sons  of  America,  and  raised  their  fame  and  that  of  their  brave* 
commanders  to  the  clouds,  and  immortalized  Gen.  Gates  with  laurels  of 
eternal  duration.  No  sooner  had  the  knowledge  of  this  interesting  and 
mighty  event  reached  His  Most  Christian  Majesty,  who  in  Europe  shines 
with  a  superior  lustre  in  goodness,  policy  and  arms,  but  the  illustrious 
potentate,  auspiciously  influenced  by  Heaven  to  promote  the  reciprocal 
interest  and  happiness  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  France,  and  the  new 
and  rising  states  of  America,  passed  the  great  and  decisive  decree,  that 
the  United  States  of  America,  should  be  free  and  independent.  Vaunt 
no  more.  Old  England  !  consider  you  are  but  an  island !  and  that  your 
power  has  beien  continued  longer  than  the  exercise  of  your  humanity. 
Order  your  broken  and  vanquished  battalions  to  retire  from  America, 
the  scene  of  your  cruelties.  Go  home  and  repeat  in  dust  and  sackcloth 
for  your  aggravated  crimes.  The  cries  of  bereaved  parents,  widows  and 
orphans,  reach  the  heavens,  and  you  are  abominated  by  every  friend  to 
America.  Take  your  friends  the  tories  with  you,  and  be  gone,  and 
drink  deep  of  cup  of  humiliation.  Make  peace  with  the  princes  of  the 
house  of  Bourbon,  for  you  are  in  no  condition  to  wage  war  with  them. 
Your  veteran  soldiers  are  fallen  in  America,  and  your  glory  is  departed. 
Be  quiet  and  pay  your  debts,  especially  for  the  hire  of  the  Hessians. 
There  is  no  other  way  for  you  to  get  into  credit  again,  but  by  reforma- 
tion and  plain  honesty,  which  you  have  despised  ;  for  your  power  is  by 
no  means  sufficient  to  support  your  vanity.  I  have  had  opportunity  to 
see  a  great  deal  of  it,  and  felt  its  severe  effects,  and  learned  lessons  of 
wisdom  and  policy,  when  I  wore  your  heavy  irons,  and  bore  your  bitter 
revilings  and  reproaches.  I  have  something  of  a  smattering  of  philoso- 
phy, and  understand  human  nature  in  all  its  stages  tolerably  well ;  am 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  your  national  crimes,  and  assure  you  that 
they  not  only  cry  aloud  for  Heaven's  vengeance^  but  excite  mankind 
to  rise  up  against  you.  Virtue,  wisdom  and  policy  are  in  a  national 
tsense,  always  connected  with  power,  or  in  other  words,  power  is  their 
offspring,  and  such  power  as  is  not  directed  by  virtue,  wisdom  and  po- 
licy never  fails  finally  to  destroy  itself  as  yours  has  done. — It  is  so  in 
the  nature  of  things,  and  unfit  that  it  would  be  otherwise  ;  for  if  it  waa 
not  so,  vanity,  injustice,  and  oppression,  might  reign  triumphant  forever. 

daily,  held  him  in  check  at  Saratoga.  General  Gates  now  took  the  command,  and 
was  aided  by  the  generals  Lincoln  and  Arnold.  On  the  19th  of  September,  the 
Americans  attacked  the  British  army,  and  with  such  bravery,  that  the  enemy  could 
boast  of  no  advaittage,  and  night  put  an  end  to  the  action.  The  loss  of  the  enemy 
was  about  five  hundred.  General  Burgoyne  was  confined  in  a  narrow  pass — hav- 
ing the  Hudson  on  one  side  and  impassable  woods  on  the  other — a  body  of  Ameri- 
cans was  in  his  rear — his  boats  he  had  ordered  to  be  burnt,  and  he  could  not  re- 
treat— while  an  army  of  thirteen  thousand  men  opposed  him  in  tront."  On  the  7th 
of  October,  the  armies  came  to  a  second  action,  in  which  the  British  lost  General 
Frazer,  with  a  great  number  of  officers  and  men,  and  were  driven  within  their 
lines.  On  the  part  of  the  Americans  the  loss  was  not  great,  but  generals  Lincoln 
and  Atnpld  were  wounded. 


/ 


!   'tar       T         i-^.ii  ^.    ■' 


KABRATIVE. 


4» 


1  know  you  have  individuals,  who  sliU  retain  their  virtue,  and  conse- 
quently their  honor  and  humanity.  Thoie  I  really  pity,  as  they  must 
more  or  less  suffer  in  the  calamity,  in  which  the  nation  is  plunged  head- 
long; but  as  a  nation  I  hate  and  despise  you. 

My  affections  are  Frenchified.  I  glory  in  Louis  the  sixteenth,  the 
generous  and  powerful  ally  of  these  states ;  am  fond  of  a  connection  with 
80  enterprising,  learned,  polite,  courteous  and  commercial  a  nation,  and 
am  sure  that  I  express  the  sentiments  and  feelings  of  all  the  friends  to 
the  present  revolution.  I  begin  to  learn  the  French  tongue,  and  recom- 
mend it  to  my  countrymen,  before  Hebrew,  Greek  or  Latin,  (provided 
but  one  of  them  only  are  to  be  attended  to)  for  the  trade  and  commerce 
of  these  states  in  future  must  inevitably  shift  its  channel  from  England 
to  France,  Spain  and  Portugal ;  and  therefore  the  statesman,  politician 
and  merchant,  need  be  acquainted  with  their  several  languages,  particu- 
larly the  French,  which  is  much  in  vogue  in  most  parts  of  Europe.  No- 
thing could  have  served  so  effectually  to  illuminate,  polish  and  enrich 
these  states  as  the  present  revolution,  as  vrell  as  preserve  their  liberty. 
Mankind  are  naturally  too  national,  even  to  a  degree  of  bigotry,  and 
commercial  intercourse  with  foreign  nations,  has  a  great  and  necessary 
tendency  to  improve  mankind,  and  erase  the  superstition  of  the  mind 
by  acquainting  them  that  human  nature,  policy  and  interest,  are  the 
same  in  all  nations,  and  at  the  same  time  *'<cy  are  bartering  commodi- 
ties for  the  conveniences  and  happiness  of  each  nation,  they  may  reci- 
procally exchange  such  part  of  their  customs  and  manners  as  may  be 
beneficial,  and  learn  to  extend  charity  and  good  will  to  the  whole  world 
of  mankind.  1  was  confined  in  the  provost-goal  at  New-York,  the  26lh 
day  of  August,  and  continued  there  to  the  3d  day  of  May,  1778,  when 
I  was  taken  out  under  guard,  and  conducted  to  a  sloop  in  the  harbor  at 
New-York,  in  which  I  was  guarded  to  Staten-Island,  to  general  Camp- 
bell's quarters,  where  I  was  admitted  to  eat  and  drink  with  the  general 
and  several  other  of  the  British  field  ofHcers,  and  treated  for  two  days 
in  a  polite  manner.  As  I  was  drinking  wine  with  them  one  evening,  I 
made  an  observation  on  my  transition  from  the  provost  criminals  to  the 
company  of  gentlemen,  adding  that  I  was  the  same  man  still,  and  should 
give  the  British  credit,  by  him  (speaking  to  the  general)  for  two  days 
good  usage. 

The  next  day  colonel  Archibald  Campbell,  who  was  exchanged  for 
me,  came  to  this  place,  conducted  by  Mr.  Boudinot,  the  then  American 
commissary  of  prisoners,  and  saluted  me  in  a  handsome  manner,  saying 
that  he  never  was  more  glad  to  see  any  gentleman  in  his  life,  and  I 
gave  him  to  understand  that  I  was  equally  glad  to  see  him,  and  was 
apprehensive  that  it  was  from  the  same  motive.  The  gentlemen  present 
laughed  at  the  fancy  and  conjectured  that  sweet  liberty  was  the  found- 
ation of  our  gladness  :  so  we  took  a  glass  of  wine  together,  and  then  I 
was  accompynied  by  general  Campbell,  colonel  Campbell,  Mr.  Boudino| 
and  a  number  of  British  officers,  to  the  boat  which  was  ready  to  s^Ho 
Elizabeth-tovyn-point.  Meanwhile  I  entertained  them  with  a^earsal 
of  the  cruelties  exercised  towards  our  prisoners;  and  assumed  them  that 
I  should  use  my  influence,  that  their  prisoners  shoykT^e  treated,  in 


future,  in  the  same  manner,  as  they  should  in  futu 


treat  ours ;  that  I 


mwim^imim^ii^rw99f?^^if^ 


■  ■*w»?m'^^.^i^.v'rj-«ipiiwj'.j''   ^ 


90 


KTHAM  ALLEN'S   NAHBATirS. 


thought  it  wac  right  in  such  extreme  cases,  that  their  example  should 
be  c>.pptied  to  their  own  prisoners ;  then  exchanged  the  decent  ceremo- 
nies of  compliment,  and  parted.  I  sailed  to  the  point  aforesaid,  and,  in 
a  transport  of  joy,  landed  on  liberty  ground,  and  as  I  advanced  into  the 
country,  received  the  acclamations  of  a  grateful  people.    ' 

I  soon  fell  into  company  with  colonel  Shelden,  of  the  light  h.nrse, 
who  in  a  polite  and  obliging  manner  accompanied  me  to  head  quarters. 
Valley  Forge,  where  I  was  courteously  reo  ived  by  Gen.  Washington, 
with  peculiar  marks  of  his  approbation  and  esteem,  and  was  introduced 
to  !tnost  of  the  generals,  and  many  of  the  principal  officers  of  the  army, 
who  treated  me  with  respect,  and  after  having  offered  general  Wash- 
ington my  further  service  in  behalf  of  my  countrv,  as  soon  as  my  health-, 
which  was  very  much  impaired,  would  adnr^it,  and  obtain  his  license  to 
return  home,  I  took  my  leave  of  his  excellency,  t>nd  set  out  from  Valley 
Forge  with  general  Gates  and  his  suit  for  Fishkill,  where  we  arrived  the 
latter  end  of  May.  In  this  tour  the  general  was  pleased  to  treat  me 
with  the  familiarity  of  a  companion,  and  genero/ity  of  a  lord,  and  to 
him  I  made  known  some  striking  circumstances  which  occurred  in  tne 
course  of  my  captivity.  I  then  bid  farewell  to  my  noble  getieral  and 
the  gentlemen  in  his  retinue,  and  set  out  for  B'  nnington,  the  capital  of 
the  Green  Mountain  Boys,  where  I  arrived  the  evening  of  the  last  day 
of  May  to  their  great  suiprise ;  for  I  was  thought  to  be  dead,  and  now 
both  their  joy  and  mine  was  complete.  Three  cannon  were  fired  that 
evening,  and  next  morning  colonel  Herrick  gave  orders,  and  fourteen 
more  were  discharged,  welcoming  me  to  Bennington,  my  usual  place  of 
abode ;  thirteen  for  the  United  States,  and  one  for  Young  Vermoi^t. 

After  this  ceremony  was  ended  we  moved  <he  flowing  bowl,  and  rural 
felicity,  sweetened  with  friendship,  glowed  m  each  countenance,  and 
with  loyal  healths  to  the  rising  States  of  America,  concluded  that  even- 
ing, and,  with  the  same  loyal  spirit,  I  now  conclude  my  narrative. 


-^-i^s:  ,-■-*• 


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u  4*  Hj«^ 


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iple  should 
nt  ceremo- 
iid,  and,  in 
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ight  horse, 
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introduced 

the  army, 
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my  healtb, 
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from  Valley 
arrived  the 
o  treat  me 
ord,  and  to 
rred  in  tne 
retieral  and 
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ual  place  of 
ermot>t. 
1,  and  rural 
nance,  and 

that  even- 

tive. 


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C.  GOODRICH  &  S.  B.  NICHOLS, 

WHOLESALE  AND   RETAIL   DEALERS 


I  It 


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4^1 


'1^^ 


PUBLIC  ATIOIV  Dl^POT, 

WIClCWAitM  B  UILDING, 

Corner  Churdh  and  Vallege  Streets,  (Up  Stairs.,) 

BUIlLniQTOlf ,  VT, 

They  publish,  and  supply  the  Trade  with  all  of  Hon.  D.  V. 
THOMPSpl^'S  popular 

Whose  very  popular  and  interesting  Tales,  have  won  for  bun 
a  reputation  which  we  may  truly  say  is  enviable. 

We  have  constantly  on  hand  a  large  assortment  of  Cheap 
Publications,  Prints,  Cfards,  d&c.  &c.,  suitable  to  the  Trade. 

A«»SrV8  AST®  l»»a>3>A:&3 

Will  find  this  establishment  one  of  peculiat  importance  to' 
them,  it  being  the  only  one  of  tho  kind  north  of  Troy.     Any 
books  pul^lished  by  us  may  |:t^  had  at  retail,  or  otherwise,  or 
any  information  given  in  rerHt^^oJaooLis,  &(J.  at  our        >; 

Of  E.  B.  Whiting,  St.  Albans,  Vt. ;  Stoddard  <fc  Gookiu,  Rut- 
land, Vt. ;  Thomas  F.  House,  Winooski  City ;  Wm.  Reed, 
Plattsburgh,  N.  Y. ;  Dr.  L.  C.  Butler,  Clintonville,  N.  Y.  and 
Reed  &- Cook,  Moriah,  N.  Y. 

TTiLlirTED,         ■ 

.     A  few  honest  active  and  intelligent  young  men,  to  Peddle 
Npoks,  &c.    To  such,  we  offer  a  Rare  Chance,  seldom  if  ever 
-with,  of  engaging  in  a  pleasant  and  profitable  business. 
;; ';       1^11  cash  capital  oi  from  10  to  $60,  necessary, 
^ers,  &c.,  must  be  addressed  to 

C.  GOOpw^'NJH  6c  S.  B.  NICHOLS, 

^ware  Building, 
Burlington,  Vt. 


■Kif 


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